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GLANCE 


r  i  ft  a  t  e       i  t  r  a  r  i  t  s 


LUTHER    FARNHAM. 


BOSTON: 

PRESS   OF  CROCKER  AND   BREWSTER, 

47  Washington  Street. 

1855. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1855, 

BY    LUTHER    FARNHAM, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


PREFATORY  NOTE, 


A  few  years  since  the  late  Prof.  B.  B.  Edwards, 
D.  D.,  requested  me  to  prepare  for  the  Bibliotheca 
Sacra,  of  which  he  was  an  editor,  an  article  on  pri- 
vate libraries.  The  preparation  of  the  paper  was 
commenced,  but  on  the  death  of  Prof.  E.  was  sus- 
pended, until  recently,  when  it  was  completed  accord- 
ing to  the  original  plan.  By  request  the  manuscript 
was  read  at  the  regular  monthly  meeting  of  the  New 
England  Historic-Genealogical  Society  in  October 
last,  and  in  accordance  with  a  unanimous  vote  of  the 
Society,  it  is  now  published. 

The  libraries  noticed  are  chiefly  of  Boston  and 
neighborhood,  and  embrace  only  those  that  have  acci- 
dentally or  otherwise  come  to  my  knowledge.  Of 
course,  the  faintest  glimpse  of  libraries,  such  as  is 
given,  does  not  do  them  justice,  and  is  a  very  imper- 
fect view  of  any  one  of  them ;  still  it  was  all  that  the 
plan  of  the  Essay  embraced.  Possibly  there  may  be 
a  demand  for  a  view  of  the  wealth  of  all  the  private 
libraries  in  this  section  of  the  country,  or  even  of  the 
whole  land,  at  no  distant  day.  This  commencement 
of  researches  in  a  new  and  interesting  field  of  inquiry 
is  respectfully  dedicated  to  all  collectors  and  lovers  of 
good  books,  with  the  hope,  that  they  may  find  in  it 
somewhat  of  entertainment,  if  not  of  instruction. 

L.  F. 

Boston,  December  1, 1855. 


A  GLANCE  AT  PRIVATE  LIBRARIES- 


THIS  country  is  sadly  in  want  of  books.  We 
can  boast  of  a  land  stretching  from  sea  to  sea, 
with  the  greatest  varieties  of  climate,  soil  and 
productions.  Our  national  power  upon  land  and 
water  is  unquestioned.  In  opulence,  population, 
present  and  prospective,  in  the  character  of  its 
institutions,  and  in  the  intelligence  of  the  people, 
and  in  most  that  goes  to  make  a  great  nation, 
this  republic  ranks  as  a  first-rate  power.  The 
most  civilized  states  of  Europe  send  their  agents 
to  examine  our  system  of  free  schools,  with  the 
idea  that  the  old  world  may  be  better  off  to  in- 
troduce them  ;  and  our  institutions  of  mercy  and 
charity  are  more  than  respectable  ;  while  Amer- 
ican ships  and  other  fruits  of  our  skill  excite 
general  admiration.  We  hear  of  men  from  the 
other  side  who  visit  us  to  witness  the  autumnal 
tints  of  an  American  forest,  or  to  gaze  upon  Ni- 


6 

agara,  or  a  prairie,  or  the  lakes,  or  the  father  of 
rivers. 

But  what  visitor  crosses  the  sea  to  view  our 
libraries  ?  Who  has  ever  heard  of  them  abroad, 
except  their  diminutive  size  and  meager  charac- 
ter has  given  them  a  "  bad  eminence  ?"  We  have 
not  a  single  library  with  one  hundred  thousand 
volumes,  while  there  are  several  in  Europe  with 
five  times  this  number  of  books,  and  one  or  two 
with  a  million  or  more.*  Indeed,  our  largest 
public  libraries  would  attract  no  special  notice  in 
a  small  town  on  the  Continent.  And  our  libra- 
ries (unless  there  may  be  recent  exceptions)  have 
been  as  much  wanting  in  the  quality  of  their 
books,  as  in  their  quantity.  To  look  at  many  of 
the  volumes  that  are  to  be  found  in  our  public 
libraries,  one  would  think,  that  those  who  by  a 
figure  of  speech  are  called  the  donors,  ought  to 
pay  for  their  storage,  particularly,  where  they 
mar  the  appearance  of  very  nice  library  halls. 
They  remind  one  of  the  books  that  are  sometimes 
sent  to  the  missionaries  of  the  western  section  of 
our  country,  apparently  because  the  proprietors 

•  The  Paris  corrcipondent  of  an  American  journal  has  recently  wrilten  of  what 
toe  terms  the  largest  library  in  the  world.  He  say* :  "  The  Bibliotheyue  Rationale, 
in  (he  Rue  Richelieu  contain*  at  the  present  time  fourteen  hundred  thousand  vol- 
umes, or  about  four  limes  the  whole  number  of  books  in  the  public  libraries  of  Mas- 
•Hchiuetts.  The  volumes  are  mostly  in  handsome  binding  of  colored  leather  en- 
rithed  with  gilt,  and  are  placed  in  solid  walls  from  floor  to  ceiling,  with  net  work 
/or  protection  a*  high  as  the  baud  can  reach.'* 


know  not  how  else  to  dispose  of  them, — forget- 
ting that  the  only  light  that  many  books  can 
shed  is  that  evolved  when  they  are  used  to  kin- 
dle fires. 

America  has  produced  a  few  authors  worthy 
the  name  ;  but  it  has  been  in  spite  of  the  want 
of  books  in  this  country,  and  not  through  their 
abundance.  Our  great  authors  have  found  the 
material  of  their  works  in  the  vast  libraries  of 
Europe,  or  else  they  have  imported  it  for  them- 
selves at  a  very  heavy  expense.  The  late  Presi- 
dent Adams  undertook  to  collect  the  authorities 
referred  to  by  Gibbon  in  his  History  of  Rome, — 
not  half  of  which  were  then,  probably,  to  be 
found  on  this  side  of  the  water.  The  lecturer 
upon  any  historical  subject,  except  that  pertain- 
ing to  America,  would  be  obliged  to  visit  Europe 
to  find  ample  materials, — certainly  if  he  was  con- 
fined to  the  public  libraries  of  this  country. 

Our  nation  is  not  to  be  reproached  for  its  pau- 
city of  libraries.  There  were  many  things  that 
necessarily  preceded  large  public  collections  of 
books.  The  land  was  to  be  cleared  and  cultivated. 
After  bread  came  the  church,  the  school-house, 
and  the  town-house,  and  such  collections  of  books 
as  might  be  expected  in  a  new  country  of  vast 
material  resources,  that  began  early  to  mature, 


8 

and  that  are  now  developed  with  wonderful  ac- 
tivity. "  The  set  time  "  for  the  proper  materials 
to  cultivate  the  mind  is  at  hand.  Already  public 
attention  is  directed  to  the  subject.  Very  re- 
cently a  few  libraries  in  this  country  have  indi- 
cated a  most  promising  growth.  It  is  quite  safe 
to  predict,  that  a  few  years  more  only  will  be 
needed  to  give  us,  at  least,  two  or  three  collec- 
tions of  books  of  two  hundred  thousand  volumes 
each ;  and  looking  forward  hah0  a  century,  we 
can  see  a  national  library  of  half  a  million  or  a 
million  tomes, — for  when  any  important  enter- 
prise is  once  started  in  America,  it  moves  forward 
as  in  no  other  country  of  the  world. 

One  result  of  the  scarcity  of  public  libraries 
has  been  the  increase  of  valuable  private  collec- 
tions of  books.  American  scholars  have  done 
from  necessity  what  they  might  not  have  done 
without  such  a  stimulant.  And  then,  we  have 
readers  who  have  preferred  to  own  such  books  as 
gratified  their  reading  inclination,  rather  than  to 
be  confined  to  a  small  circulating  library,  or  to  a 
larger  public  one, — in  neither  of  which,  owing  to 
their  size,  as  compared  to  the  number  of  readers, 
could  there  be  a  reasonable  hope  of  securing  a 
required  book,  without  an  outlay  of  time,  trouble 
;nul  disappointment,  more  than  equal  to  the  cost 


9 

of  it.  And  then  we  have  a  very  useful  class  of 
persons  who,  though  not  pretending  to  be  great 
scholars,  have  spent  much  time  and  money 
in  collecting  books,  old  or  new,  American  or 
foreign,  general  or  special ;  but  always  to  some 
useful  end,  as  well  as  to  the  inferior  one  of  grati- 
fying personal  and  public  curiosity.  Such  per- 
sons are  sometimes  termed  amateur  collectors. 
They  love  books  and  they  love  to  own  them. 
They  love  to  arrange  them  chronologically,  or  by 
subjects,  or  by  some  other  order.  They  may 
fancy  to  collect  the  first  editions  of  books  of  a 
world-wide  reputation,  or  to  possess  all  the  oldest 
books,  whether  printed  or  written.  Or  they  may 
collect  all  the  valuable  new  books  in  whatever 
language  published,  or  in  whatever  country.  The 
collector  may  adopt  another  course,  and  pile  up 
all  the  books  in  a  given  department  of  knowl- 
edge,— say,  law  in  its  most  comprehensive  sense  ; 
theology,  or  medicine,  history,  or  biography. 

For  private  collections,  this  last  plan  is,  per- 
haps, the  most  important  in  a  public  view ;  for  if 
it  were  practicable  for  a  number  of  gentlemen  to 
unite,  with  the  understanding  that  each  should 
make  a  perfect  collection  in  his  department,  in  a 
brief  period,  there  might  be  found  in  this  coun- 
try, and  in  any  particular  portion  of  it,  all  the 


10 

books  and  manuscripts  that  any  author  or  scholar 
would  have  occasion  to  consult,  that  readers 
would  be  glad  to  read,  or  the  curious  to  see  and 
to  handle. 

The  few  private  libraries  of  Boston  and  neigh- 
borhood, that  we  have  found  the  time  to  glance 
at,  have  revealed  quite  unexpected  riches.  The 
ten  having  the  largest  number  of  books  contain, 
by  a  pretty  careful  estimate,  ninety-two  thousand 
volumes ;  and  the  twelve  largest  have  more  than 
one  hundred  thousand  volumes.  It  is  safe  to  say, 
that  we  have  thirty  other  private  libraries  that 
will  give  an  aggregate  of  one  hundred  thousand 
books.  There  are  then  within  ten  miles  of  the 
State  House  private  libraries  of  one  thousand  vol- 
umes and  upwards  each,  that  wTill  count  up  from 
two  hundred  thousand  to  three  hundred  thousand 
volumes.  We  believe  that  this  will  be  regarded 
as  a  low  estimate,  by  those  at  all  conversant  with 
the  wealth  of  books  among  us  that  have  never 
met  the  public  eye.  A  pretty  good  story  for  one 
little  section  of  the  country.  And  if  other  por- 
tions can  make  as  good  a  report,  (and  it  is  not  to 
be  doubted  that,  in  respect  to  the  size  of  libra- 
ries, better  returns  can  be  made,)  then  our  coun- 
try is  about  as  much  distinguished  for  its  private 
libraries  of  note,  as  it  is  undistinguished  for  large 


11 

and  rare  public  libraries.  Why,  the  library  of 
Lord  Spencer,  of  England,  is  thought  to  be  very 
large,  with  less  than  sixty  thousand  books.  Many 
Americans  own  libraries  that  would  be  thought 
creditable  for  an  English  nobleman.  And  it 
would  not  be  surprising,  if  at  the  present  mo- 
ment, we  could  show  a  larger  number  of  rather 
uncommon  domestic  libraries  than  Great  Britain 
itself.  That  this  country  may  at  some  future  day 
be  in  advance  of  the  father-land,  in  this  depart- 
ment, seems  not  improbable,  since  some  of  the 
finest  libraries  of  that  country  have  recently  been 
sold  and  scattered.*  That,  for  example,  of  Horace 
Walpole,  at  Strawbury  Hill,  was  sold  in  1840- 
1842,  for  the  large  sum  of  near  $200,000.f 

Let  us  now  examine  more  in  detail,  a  few 
libraries.  That  of  Mr.  Edward  Everett,J  though 
not  half  as  large  as  some  others  in  the  country, 
is  one  of  the  most  perfect  in  its  arrangement  and 
most  useful  for  a  general  scholar.  The  depart- 
ment of  international  law,  diplomacy  and  politi- 
cal economy,  (to  which  Mr.  Everett  has  been  led 
by  his  public  duties  to  pay  particular  attention,) 

*  For  the  present,  new  libraries  may  be  forming  in  Great  Britain  as  fast  as  old 
ones  disappear. 

t  Democratic  Review. 

t  It  is  due  to  Mr.  Everett,  and  to  others,  to  say,  that  they  were  reluctant  to  have 
their  libraries  brought  thus  prominently  before  the  public,  and  only  consented  at  the 
urgent  request  of  the  writer,  and  perhaps  with  the  hope  that  such  an  article  may  be 
of  some  utility. 


12 

is  well  supplied.  It  contains  the  principal  collec- 
tions of  treaties,  elementary  writers  and  commen- 
tators on  these  subjects.  In  American  history, 
general  and  special,  and  in  works  belonging  to 
the  political  progress  of  the  country,  the  collec- 
tion is  full ;  containing  complete  sets  of  Force's 
Archives,  Gales  and  Seaton's  State  papers,  the 
Annals  of  Congress,  the  Congressional  Globe, 
Niles'  Eegister,  and  numerous  other  works  of  this 
class.  In  the  department  of  American  literature 
are  found  complete  sets  of  most  of  the  literary 
and  scientific  journals  which  have  been  published 
in  the  United  States ;  also  many  of  .the  principal 
works  in  American  science,  such  as  Wilson,  Audu- 
bon,  Michaux,  Nu  Hall ;  and  a  very  fine  large 
paper  copy  of  the  Exploring  Expedition  and  the 
accompanying  reports.  The  collected  works  of 
the  great  American  statesman,  and  also  of  the 
principal  American  authors  are  in  their  places. 
Another  division  of  the  library  contains  the 
standard  authors  in  prose  and  poetry  of  Great 
Britain, — many  of  those  of  recent  dates  being 
presents  from  the  authors.  Complete  sets  of  the 
leading  English  periodicals  are  found  in  this  class, 
which  is  also  well  supplied  in  English  history. 
The  department  of  ancient  literature,  sacred  and 
profane,  contains  copies  of  the  Scriptures  in  the 


13 


original  and  other  languages, — among  them  a  fine 
copy  of  Eliot's  Indian  Bible  ; — a  large  number  of 
dictionaries,  cyclopedias  and  grammars,  and  the 
principal  Latin  and  Greek  authors.  The  division 
of  modern  languages  is  supplied  with  the  princi- 
pal works  of  the  French,  Italian,  and  German 
standard  writers,  with  a  few  in  most  of  the  other 
languages  of  the  Continent  of  Europe.  In  French 
history,  we  notice,  besides  the  more  popular  au- 
thors, the  great  work  of  Dom  Bouquet, — a  copy 
formerly  belonging  to  Joseph  Bonaparte, — and 
the  Documens  Inedits,  published  under  the  gov- 
ernment of  Louis  Philippe.  There  is  a  copy  of 
Voltaire's  Historical  Essays  in  several  volumes, 
which  formed  a  part  of  the  travelling  library  of 
Napoleon  I.,  and  was  presented  by  his  nephew, 
the  Prince  Canino,  to  Mr.  E.  The  library  also 
contains  a  pretty  large  collection  of  works  in 
practical  theology,  ethics  and  mental  philosophy. 
A  few  years  ago  Mr.  E.  presented  to  the  city 
of  Boston,  as  a  contribution  to  the  Public  Library, 
a  collection  of  Congressional  documents  and  other 
works  pertaining  to  the  politics  and  history  of 
the  country,  amounting  to  more  than  a  thousand 
volumes.  The  number  of  volumes  remaining  is 
from  seven  to  eight  thousand.  A  separate  apart- 
ment connected  with  the  principal  library  room 


14 


contains  a  large  collection  of  pamphlets.  They 
are  arranged  according  to  subjects  in  above  four 
hundred  pamphlet  cases,  and  must  amount  to  five 
or  six  thousand.  This  is  in  addition  to  many 
hundreds  which  have  been  separately  bound  up. 
A  large  cabinet  is  filled  with  Mr.  E.'s  manuscripts, 
consisting  of  his  own  letter-books,  diaries,  and  the 
letters  of  his  correspondents, — the  latter  arranged 
alphabetically  in  port-folio  volumes ; — the  whole 
amounting  to  a  hundred  and  thirty  or  forty  vol- 
umes. These  manuscripts  cover  the  entire  period 
of  Mr.  E.'s  literary  and  public  life.  Among  the 
files  of  his  correspondence  are  letters  from  a  large 
number  of  the  men  of  eminence  in  this  country 
and  Europe  for  the  forty  last  years.  There  are 
also  a  few  manuscripts  of  some  antiquity,  among 
them  a  collection  of  the  original  commissions  and 
grants  of  the  Spanish  Crown  to  Columbus,  sub- 
stantially a  duplicate  of  that  preserved  at  Genoa, 
and  published  in  1823. 

The  masked  door,  communicating  with  one  of 
the  adjoining  rooms,  presents  three  rows  of  imita- 
tion shelves,  with  the  titles  of  the  lost  works  of 
ancient  literature  and  imaginary  French  works, 
very  skilfully  executed. 

We  have  thus  taken  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the 
library  proper.  It  has  been  too  hasty  and  imper- 


15 


feet  to  give  any  adequate  view  of  its  treasures. 
Before  dismissing  the  subject  we  may  observe 
that  the  library  room  is  ornamented  with  the  por- 
traits and  busts  of  some  of  the  most  distinguished 
men  of  our  own  and  foreign  countries.  The 
room  being  lofty  and  wholly  lighted  from  above, 
is  well  adapted  to  show  them  to  advantage,  as  ar- 
ranged,— a  bust  and  a  statue  alternately  on  the 
tops  of  the  cases.  Among  the  busts  and  portraits 
in  the  library  and  the  adjoining  rooms  are  those 
of  Presidents  Washington  and  J.  Q.  Adams,  Mar- 
shall, Webster,  Clay,  Channing,  Prescott,  Burke, 
Grotius,  Sir  Walter  Scott,  the  Poet  Rogers,  Lords 
Aberdeen  and  Brougham, — and  several  family 
likenesses  by  Copley,  Stuart,  Powers  and  Healey, 
together  with  a  few  copies  from  the  antique. 
A  beautiful  deer-hound  in  marble,  by  Horatio 
Greenough,  guards  the  entrance. 

A  few  articles  of  curiosity  are  distributed  about 
the  library  and  adjoining  rooms.  Among  these 
may  be  mentioned  implements  and  weapons  of 
the  native  tribes  of  this  continent,  and  of  the 
islands  of  the  Pacific ;  an  ancient  halberd  from 
the  tower  of  London  ;  specimens  of  the  stamped 
paper  prepared  under  the  stamp  act  in  1765 ; 
balls  from  some  of  the  principal  battle  fields  in 
Europe  and  America ;  an  ear  of  Indian  corn  from 


16 

an  ancient  Peruvian  tomb ;  various  local  souve- 
nirs of  foreign  countries ;  a  small  lock  of  the  hair 
of  Napoleon  I.,  and  so  forth. 

The  library  room  itself  is  worthy  of  inspection. 
It  was  added  by  the  owner  to  his  mansion  house. 
It  is  altogether  a  very  striking  one,  and  is  beau- 
tifully adapted  to  the  double  purpose  of  a  library 
and  a  study.  In  this  very  room  have  been  pre- 
pared numbers  of  those  orations  and  less  formal 
addresses  that  have  charmed  Senates,  alike  with 
the  more  miscellaneous  assemblies  that  have 
never  heard  our  Cicero  but  with  the  greatest  de- 
light. If  the  great  orator  has  caught  any  inspir- 
ation more  than  the  subject  and  the  occasion 
have  excited,  in  connection  with  his  own  genius, 
it  has  come  from  those  speaking  shelves, — those 
towering  busts, — those  animated  faces,  that  look 
out  from  the  canvass,  all  conspiring  to  make  one 
eloquent. 

The  library  of  Mr.  William  H.  Prescott,  the  his- 
torian, has  one  or  two  thousand  volumes  less  than 
that  just  spoken  of.  It  is  systematically  arranged 
in  a  beautiful  room  that  he  built  for  the  purpose 
on  the  rear  of  his  residence,  Beacon  Street.  The 
strength  of  the  library  is  in  history,  and  particu- 
larly that  history  that  has  aided  him  in  becoming 
a  leading  historian  of  the  world.  It  is  principally 


17 

found  in  four  very  large  cases  that  line  the  walls 
of  the  room.  The  library  is  fullest  in  English 
works,  is  very  rich  in  Spanish,  full  in  French,  and 
presents  a  good  collection  of  Italian  books,  since 
the  owner  once  designed  to  write  a  history  of 
Italian  literature. 

Mr.  Prescott  is  constantly  receiving  presents  of 
books  from  all  portions  of  the  world.  Among 
them  is  Mr.  Ford's  Hand  Book  of  Spain, — two 
superb  books  from  an  English  poet  whose  ac- 
quaintance he  made  when  in  Europe,  with  this 
poetical  inscription : 

"A  few  short  days  may  form  friendships, 
Which  no  length  of  days  can  dissolve." 

The  great  attraction  of  the  library  are  some 
thirty  volumes  of  manuscript  that  the  histo- 
rian has  collected,  to  be  used  in  the  construc- 
tion of  his  immortal  histories.  These  manuscripts 
have  cost  him  about  as  much  as  the  whole  library, 
beside.  The  library  abounds  with  curiosities, 
such  as  the  original  letters  of  Ferdinand,  Isabella, 
and  Charles  V., — the  vase  of  an  Inca,  from  Peru, — 
a  piece  of  lace  from  tke  shroud  of  Cortez, — 
together  with  striking  portraits  of  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella, — of  Columbus, — of  Don  Sebastian,  King 
of  Portugal, — and  of  most  of  the  characters  that 
figure  in  his  histories.  Perhaps,  the  pet  orna- 

3 


18 

ments  of  the  library  are  two  swords,  the  identical 
weapons  worn  by  his  grandfather,  Col.  Prescott, 
and  his  wife's  grandfather,  Capt.  Linzee, — the  first 
of  whom  led  the  American  troops  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill,  and  the  last  of  whom  was  about  as 
prominent  a  leader  on  the  other  side.*  The 
swords  are  crossed,  presenting  a  loving  union,  as 
they  hang  from  the  ceiling. 

The  historian  does  not  do  his  writing  in  his 
library,  but  in  a  room  directly  above  it,  which  is 
reached  by  passing  through  a  masked  door  filled 
with  mock  books,  up  a  long  winding  staircase. 
The  study  overlooks  Chesnut  Street  and  the  Back 
Bay, — is  very  light,  to  meet  'the  wants  of  one 
whose  sight  is  imperfect,  and  is  every  way 
adapted  most  admirably  to  its  purpose.  In  this 
room,  of  moderate  size,  have  been  composed  many 
of  those  charming  pages  that  have  delighted  alike 
•the  reader  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  and  of 
various  languages.  Here,  using  an  apparatus 
such  as  the  blind  use,  the  author  dashes  ofi^  on  an 
average,  seven  pages  of  one  of  his  printed  histo- 
ries daily,  or  as  much  a*s  the  man  with  the  best 
pair  of  eyes  ever  ought  to  write.  It  must  be  re- 
membered, that  he  could  not  write  thus  rapidly 

•Lord  Mahon,  in  his  History  of  England,  refers  very  pleasantly  to  these  swords, 
in  a  foot-note.  He  trusts  they  will  be  an  emblem  and  pledge  of  the  prepciual 
umity  that  shall  exist  Itetwccn  the  tuitions  represented. 


19 


without  the  previous  labor  of  turning  over  and 
digesting  the  matter,  that  he  finally  puts  on  pa- 
per, in  so  finished  a  state,  that  only  a  practiced 
eye  and  mind  might  think  it  needed  further  fin- 
ishing. 

In  years  past,  during  two  or  three  months  of 
the  summer,  Mr.  Prescott  has  been  accustomed 
to  compose  at  his  former  country  seat,  on  that 
rock-bound  peninsula  Nahant ;  and  later  in  the 
season,  for  a  month,  at  his  farm  in  Pepperell, — an 
estate  that  he  possessed  from  his  ancestors.  His 
library  has  not  accompanied  him  to  these  beauti- 
ful spots  for  thought  and  composition,  but  only 
such  books  and  manuscripts  as  answered  an  im- 
mediate purpose. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  libraries  is  that  of 
Mr.  Rufus  Choate,  that  embraces,  including  pro- 
fessional books,  seven  thousand  volumes,  many  of 
which  are  quite  rare,  and  in  the  best  editions. 
His  books  are  scientifically  arranged,  and  present 
themselves  in  the  most  inviting  manner.  No  one 
could  live  in  his  library,  we  dare  say,  without  be- 
coming a  reader,  if  he  had  no  previous  taste,  and 
he  would  stand  more  than  an  even  chance  of  be- 
coming a  scholar.  Indeed,  a  person  can  hardly 
fail  of  being  educated  by  and  according  to  his 
daily  surroundings.  The  library  room  or  rooms 


20 


of  Mr.  Choate,  (for  the  entire  second  story  of  a 
good  sized  house  are  devoted  to  such  guests  as 
Horner,  Demosthenes,  Pindar,  Livy,  Bacon,  Shake- 
speare, and  such  worthies,  or  to  what  are  popu- 
larly called  books,)  are  extremely  attractive,  since 
though  not  originally  built  for  the  purpose,  they 
appear  to  entertain  their  undying  guests  grace- 
fully, and  yet  with  no  sort  of  art,  or  pretence. 

This  library  is  particularly  rich  in  the  Greek 
and  Latin  classics,  for  which  the  owner  has  a  pas- 
sion, and  has  read  for  their  own  sake,  more,  per- 
haps, than  any  other  professional  gentleman  in 
this  country.  His  shelves  exhibit  five  or  six  edi- 
tions of  Pindar,  Horace,  Livy,  and  of  other  Latin 
and  Greek  authors.  The  library  abounds  with 
political  volumes,  and  is  full  in  the  department 
of  history  ;  and  in  theology  and  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory we  know  of  no  layman  who  has  such  trea- 
sures. On  these  last  subjects  he  has  the  leading 
Christian  fathers.  On  the  law  of  nations  it  is 
pretty  full,  and  very  full  in  law  in  general,  in 
which  is  embraced  a  rare  book,  Suazez  De  Legi- 
bus  et  Deo  Legislatore.  Science  has  not  been 
forgotten,  as  Bayle's  Dictionary  in  French,  Eras- 
mus, Lipsius,  and  similar  works  declare.  In  cyclo- 
paedias of  various  kinds  there  is  a  tempting  dis- 
play. Among  rare  books  not  noticed  in  the  libra- 


21 

ries  just  described  are  Rymer's  Foedera,  Du 
Cange's  Glossarium,  and  Athenaesius.  In  a  word, 
it  is  a  library  such  as  a  first-rate  lawyer  and 
scholar  would  select,  who  had  also  a  great  love  of 
books  in  general,  particularly  those  containing 
good  old  English  literature,  both  prose  and  verse.* 
What  a  pleasant  change  this  library,  after  the 
conflicts  of  the  Court  House. 

The  late  Mr.  Abbott  Lawrence  found  a  source 
of  recreation  during  thirty  or  forty  years  in  col- 
lecting some  ten  thousand  volumes.  They  are  of 
quite  a  miscellaneous  character,  such  as  an  active 
business  and  practical  man,  who  did  not  pretend 
to  be  a  scholar,  would  be  likely  to  gather  around 

*  It  is  evident  that  Mr.  Choate  spoke  from  experience  in  the  following  eloquent 
words,  which  he  used  in  the  course  of  his  address  delivered  at  Danvers  in  Septem- 
ber, 1354,  at  the  opening  of  the  Peabody  Institute  in  that  town.  The  thoughts  are 
the  more  appropriate  since  one  special  object  of  Mr.  Peabody  of  London,  the  gen- 
erous founder,  was  the  gathering  of  a  library :  "  Let  the  case  of  a  busy  lawyer  tes- 
tily to  the  priceless  value  of  the  love  of  reading.  He  comes  home,  his  temples 
throbbing,  his  nerves  shattered,  from  a  trial  of  a  week  ;  surprised  and  alarmed  by 
the  charge  of  the  judge,  and  pale  with  anxiety  about  the  verdict  of  the  next  morning, 
not  at  all  satisfied  with  what  he  has  done  himself,  though  he  does  not  yet  see  how 
he  could  have  improved  it,  recalling  with  dread  and  self  disparagement,  if  not  with 
envy,  the  brilliant  effort  of  his  antagonist,  and  tormenting  himself  with  the  vain 
•wish  that  he  could  have  replied  to  it — and  altogether  a  very  miserable  subject,  and 
in  as  unfavorable  a  condition  to  accept  comfort  from  wife  and  children  as  poor 
Christian  in  the  first  three  pages  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  With  a  superhuman 
effort  he  opens  his  book,  and  in  the  twinfling  of  an  eye  he  is  looking  into  the  full 
'  orb  of  Homeric  or  Miltonic  song,'  or  he  stands  in  the  crowd  breathless,  yet  swayed 
as  forests  or  the  sea  by  winds — hearing  and  to  judge  the  Pleadings  for  the  Crown, 
or  the  philosophy  which  soothed  Cicero  or  Boethius  in  their  afflictions,  in  exile, 
prison,  and  the  contemplation  of  death,  breathes  over  his  petty  cares  like  the  sweet 
South  ;  or  Pope  or  Horace  laughs  him  into  good  humor,  or  he  walks  with  ^neas 
and  the  Sybil  in  the  mid  light  of  the  world  of  the  laurelled  dead— and  the  court 
house  is  as  completely  forgotten  as  the  dream  of  a  pre-adamite  life.  Well  may  he 
prize  that  endeared  charm,  so  effectual  and  safe,  without  which  the  brain  had  long 
ago  been  chilled  with  paralysis,  or  set  on  fire  of  insanity  !" 


22 


him.  The  strength  of  the  library  is  in  English 
and  American  literature.  There  is  a  rich  col- 
lection of  the  histories  of  the  different  states, 
counties  and  towns  of  this  country,  together  with 
general  histories  of  the  nation.  Then,  there  is 
a  valuable  collection  of  the  various  dictionaries 
and  encyclopedias,  and  a  good  variety  of  books 
on  political  economy,  geography,  biography,  and 
on  biblical  literature.  Among  the  various  Bibles, 
is  to  be  found  Scott's,  which,  although  prepared 
by  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  is  one 
of  the  most  common  books  to  be  found  among 
the  Puritans  of  New  England. 

Added  to  the  books,  Mr.  Lawrence  collected 
in  his  own  language,  he  had  a  considerable  num- 
ber in  French,  and  a  few  in  Italian,  Spanish 
and  German.  He  never  proposed  the  object  to 
himself  of  collecting  a  library,  but  as  a  prac- 
tical man,  and  as  one  who  has  been  considera- 
bly in  the  public  service  in  this  country  and 
Great  Britain,  simply  purchased  books  when  he 
wanted  them,  and  armed  to  buy  books  of  every- 
day use,  and  not  those  merely  interesting  to  the 
antiquarian,  or  the  bibliographer. 

Mr.  L.  preserved  his  pamphlets  and  his  letters, 
in  the  course  of  a  long  period  of  correspond- 
ence with  the  most  eminent  men  of  the  world. 


23 

He  had  three  volumes  of  dispatches  received 
by  him  while  connected  with  three  cabinets  of 
Great  Britain,  and  three  more  of  his  own  re- 
plies to  those  missives.  He  learned  not  to  allow 
himself  to  burn  scarcely  any  thing  of  either 
printed  or  manuscript  matter, — a  lesson  that 
many  have  yet  to  learn,  before  we  shall  cease  to 
mourn  over  the  destruction  of  tjie  materials  of  a 
national  literature,  that  persons  thoughtlessly  de- 
stroy, but  can  never  replace. 

It  may  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  the 
library  of  Mr.  L.,*  that  he  had  quite  a  rare  collec- 
tion of  coins  and  medals ;  and  that  his  library  is 
ornamented  with  the  busts  of  the  men  of  genius 
of  America  and  Europe,  and  with  appropriate  pic- 
tures. Indeed,  his  late  mansion  is  full  of  engrav- 
ings, of  the  works  of  the  chisel  and  the  pencil, 
and  of  other  curiosities,  many  of  which  he  had 
bought  not  only  for  the  love  of  them,  as  he  had 

*  Now  that  Mr.  Lawrence  is  no  more  among  us,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  state, 
that  the  writer  visited  him  at  his  request,  for  the  purpose  of  inspecting  his  library, 
he  having  previously  learned  the  plan  of  the  library  article.  It  was  in  his  library, 
where  Mr.  L.  was  accustomed  to  spend  much  of  his  time,  particularly  during  his 
last  days,  that  he  received  the  writer,  and  gave  his  personal  attention  in  pointing 
out  some  of  the  treasures  of  the  room,  and  of  those  adjoining.  He  entered  into  the 
spirit  of  our  object,  and  appreciated  its  bearings  in  promoting  bolh  better  public  and 
private  collections  of  books,  which  he  considered  one  great  want  of  our  country. 
He  conversed  for  more  than  an  hour  upon  authors  and  books, — upon  art  and  artists, 
— and  especially  upon  American  education  and  literature  ;  and  he  spoke  so  intelli- 
gently, and  with  so  much  good  sense,  that  a  stranger  might  have  supposed  he  had 
given  his  life  to  these  subjects.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say,  and  it  is  not  out  of  place 
10  say  it  here,  that  when  Mr.  Abbott  Lawrence  departed  this  life,  one  of  the  best 
friends  of  literature  and  learning  left  us,  and  one  of  those  very  rare  persons  in 
America,  who  can  be  said  to  have  been  a  patron  of  scholars  and  artists. 


24 

books,  but  also  to  encourage  American  authors 
and  artists,  because  their  works  are  the  last  to  be 
appreciated  and  patronized  in  a  new,  and  to  a 
great  extent  uncultivated  country,  like  our  own. 

The  library  room  of  Mr.  L.  was  built  for  a 
library,  and  is,  perhaps,  the  most  pleasant  room 
in  the  house.  It  overlooks  the  Common,  and  is 
every  way  attractive.  Its  pleasant  aspect  renders 
it  agreeable  to  the  reader  and  student,  as  well  as 
its  literary  and  artistic  treasures.  And  we  ven- 
ture the  observation,  that  the  owner,  after  the 
business  day  was  over,  found  no  room  so  pleasant 
as  this,  and  none  where  he  could  so  truly  rest  his 
body,  and  refresh  his  spirit.  In  this  view,  a  good 
library  is  worth  more  to  a  mere  business  man 
than  it  costs.  There  is  no  recreation  and  rest  to 
be  compared  to  that  afforded  by  one,  to  a  right 
minded  person.  A  library  has  been  called  a  col- 
lection of  medicines  for  the  mind ;  and  Diodorus 
Siculus  tells  us  that  a  king  of  Egypt  inscribed 
over  the  door  of  his  library  two  Greek  words, 
which  Englished  mean,  the  dispensary  for  the 
soul. 

It  has  been  a  common  idea  that  no  matter  how 
retired,  narrow  and  unattractive  the  room  of 
the  student, — that  authors  and  artists  can  do  best 
in  garrets.  But  this  is  all  a  mistake.  There  is 


25 

nothing  so  conducive  to  good  thoughts,  as  a  good 
place  in  which  to  think.  Whatever  authors  have 
done  in  attics,  they  would  have  done  better  in 
the  most  attractive  rooms,  if  they  had  been  toler- 
ably retired.  We  have  learned  lately  that  young 
scholars  need  large,  pleasant  and  well  ventilated 
school  houses,  to  make  the  greatest  proficiency 
in  their  studies.  The  library  should  be  just  the 
sunniest,  cosiest,  most  agreeable  room  in  one's 
house.  The  possessor  should  love  it.  The  wife 
and  children  should  love  it ;  and  thus  they  will 
all  love  the  books  the  more,  and  will  be  sure  to 
become  scholars  or  readers, — -just  the  results  we 
ask  of  a  private  library.  We  say  nothing  of  the 
domestic  bliss  induced,  for  who  does  not  know 
that  the  family  that  truly  enjoys  the  library, 
loving  both  study  or  reading,  or  either  one,  enjoy 
more  than  all  the  attendants  of  plays,  and  of 
fashionable  places,  and  all  the  pleasures  of  sights 
and  sounds  that  the  whole  round  of  nature 
yields  ? 

The  library  room  of  Dr.  John  C.  Warren  is  a 
fine  one  that  was  constructed  for  the  purpose, 
overlooking  a  pleasant  prospect.  He  counts  up 
about  six  thousand  volumes,  which  he  has  been 
busily  gathering  for  more  than  half  a  century. 
The  books  are  arranged  by  subjects,  in  small 


26 

cases,  as  follows : — anatomy,  surgery,  medicine, 
natural  history,  theology,  history,  general  science, 
classical  literature,  and  miscellany.  It  will  thus 
be  seen  to  be  a  professional  library, — -just  such  an 
one  as  an  eminent  physician  and  surgeon  should 
possess.  Several  complete  sets  of  medical  jour- 
nals, home  and  foreign, — Cuvier  complete,  and 
De  Blainville  look  particularly  inviting.  The 
proprietor  has  spared  no  pains  in  securing  the 
best  books  for  his  purposes,  and  in  the  best  edi- 
tions. He  has  a  good  collection  of  pamphlets, 
which  he  preserves  effectually  by  having  them 
bound. 

Dr.  Warren  himself  is  the  author  of  several 
useful  books  and  pamphlets,  which  he  has  pub- 
lished at  intervals  during  a  long  and  useful  life. 
A  late  book  of  his  is  entitled  the  "  Genealogy  of 
"Warren,"  and  for  beauty  of  illustrations  and  exe- 
cution it  excels  any  thing  of  the  kind  that  has 
been  published  in  this  country. 

Among  other  curiosities  he  has  the  very  Psalm 
Book  that  he  believes  was  taken  from  the  coat- 
pocket  of  his  uncle  General  Warren,  after  he  was 
killed  in  the  bloody  conflict  at  Bunker  Hill. 
Several  rooms  of  his  house  are  filled  with  collec- 
tions in  the  department  of  natural  history,  em- 
bracing portions  of  the  mastodon,  and  the  fossils 


27 

of  America  and  of  Europe.  No  one  can  look  at 
these  without  feeling  that  the  President  of  the 
Boston  Society  of  Natural  History  has  a  genuine 
taste  in  this  direction,  otherwise  he  would  throw 
his  old  stones  and  bones  out  of  his  windows.  As 
it  is,  he  treats  them  as  well  as  any  other  guests 
he  has,  and,  we  believe,  gives  them  the  best 
rooms. 

Another  rare  private  library  is  that  of  Mr. 
Francis  C.  Gray,  of  nearly  four  thousand  volumes. 
He  would  have  now  possessed  more,  but  for  the 
destruction  of  his  law  library  in  Court  Street  in 
1825  by  fire,  by  which  he  lost  of  law  and  classical 
books  two  thousand.  Mr.  Gray's  library  is  more 
precious  than  large.  The  strength  of  it  is  in 
English  and  French,  and  it  is  pretty  full  in  the 
classics  and  in  German.  .  It  contains  many  Anglo 
Saxon  and  Norman  books.  And  added  to  these, 
there  are  Italian  and  theological  works.  The 
proprietor  has  quite  a  collection  of  treatises  on 
the  book  of  Job,  as  he  once  proposed  to  write  on 
that  inspired  poem.  Among  his  rare  and  valua- 
ble books  are  the  first  editions  of  Shakspeare  in 
folio,  and  that  of  Spencer ; — Jameson's  Scottish 
Dictionary,  Glossaire  De  La  Romaine,  (quite 
rare,)  a  Russian  Dictionary,  Ferm's  Original 
Letters  in  the  times  of  the  English  sovereigns 


28 

Edward  IV.,  Henry  VI.,  and  Richard  III.  The 
library  is  quite  full  in  works  on  the  fine  arts. 
Mr.  Gray  has  never  attempted  to  gather  a 
library,  but  has  purchased  books  for  many 
years  as  he  found  occasion  to  use  them.  He 
has  many  valuable  paintings,  engravings  and 
maps.  The  library  is  well  arranged,  in  a  room 
built  for  the  purpose,  which  is  situated  like  Dr. 
Warren's,  and  reminds  one  of  it. 

Thus  we  have  found  three  libraries  on  Park 
Street,  containing  about  twenty  thousand  vol- 
umes, and  if  we  embrace  the  choice  library  of 
Mr.  Ticknor,  we  shall  have  thirty-three  thousand 
on  one  short  street,  all  belonging  to  persons, 
living  almost  in  adjoining  dwellings.  Such 
another  cluster  cannot,  we  suspect,  be  found  in 
this  section  of  the  country. 

The  library  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  L.  Frothingham, 
D.  D.,  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  double  purpose 
of  a  library  and  study.  It  was  built  for  those 
purposes, — is  light,  and  is  a  room  that  a  student 
or  reader  would  love.  He  has  quite  a  collection 
of  the  Greek  and  Latin  classics,  of  works  in  the 
modern  European  languages,  of  theology,  of  gen- 
eral miscellany ;  but  he  is  richest  in  English 
literature.  His  from  three  to  four  thousand  pam- 
phlets are  bound  and  catalogued.  The  hundreds 


29 

of  sermons  he  preached  during  a  long  pastorate 
are  also  chronologically  arranged  in  cases,  and, 
with  the  well  known  habits  of  the  author,  we 
may  safely  say,  they  are  finished  sufficiently  for 
the  press.  Dr.  Frothingham  is  not  only  a  reader, 
hut  a  scholar  and  author,  and  to  him  his  books 
are  what  tools  are  to  the  mechanic.  His  occupa- 
tion, as  well  as  one  chief  source  of  his  amuse- 
ment, must  cease  without  them. 

It  has  given  the  writer  pleasure  repeatedly  to 
examine  the  library  of  Mr.  Franklin  Haven,  who 
added  to  business  of  the  most  arduous  and  re- 
sponsible nature,  has  found  leisure  for  reading, 
and  for  some  attainments  in  scholarship.  His 
library  is  more  choice  than  large.  There  are 
more  than  four  thousand  volumes,  that  have  been 
chiefly  imported  from  Europe. 

He  is  richest  in  English  literature,  in  the  best 
editions,  and  in  superb  binding.  We  noticed, 
also,  the  standard  American  works,  and  a  fair 
collection  of  books  in  the  modern  languages  of 
Europe. 

Besides  several  rather  rare  books  already  men- 
tioned in  connection  with  other  libraries,  he  has 
a  book  of  Plates,  entitled  Gallery  Versailles,  and 
a  magnificent  work,  Daniel's  Oriental  Scenery,  in 
three  very  large  folio  volumes.  But  we  suppose 


30 


that  Mr.  Haven  values  more  than  any  other  the 
complete  works  of  Daniel  Webster,  beautifully 
executed,  and  which  were  presented  him  by  the 
author  himself,  as  a  slight  token  of  the  regard  he 
had  for  him,  and  as  a  memento  of  the  friendship 
that  had  existed  between  them  for  many  years. 
Such  is  the  substance  of  a  note  accompanying 
the  volumes, — a  very  valuable  autograph. 

Mr.  Haven  has,  within  a  few  years,  built  a 
library  for  the  reception  of  his  books.  It  reminds 
one  of  Mr.  Webster's,  at  Marshfield,  particularly 
in  the  style  of  the  cases.  The  room  is  forty 
feet  long,  by  seventeen  wide,  and  the  same  in 
height. 

Mr.  David  Sears  has  about  four  thousand  books. 
He  is  particularly  rich  in  French  literature.  He 
has  Voltaire  in  seventy  volumes,  Buflbn's  Natural 
History  in  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  vol- 
umes, Auber'  History  of  the  French  Revolution, 
Napoleon's  Campaigns  in  Italy  by  the  same,  the 
Encyclopedic  Methodique  of  some  two  hundred 
and  fifty  volumes,  and  Boret's  Manual  on  the  In- 
dustry of  France  ;  together  with  several  French 
works  on  military  affairs.  Another  work  is  enti- 
tled the  Gallery  of  the  Museum  of  France. 
There  is  a  pretty  good  variety  of  English  books. 
Wilson's  and  Audubon's  Ornithology  are  worthy 


31 

of  notice,  and  several  other  works  equally  scarce 
in  private  collections.  He  has  a  library  room 
proper,  but  no  catalogue,  and  in  this  respect,  he 
seems  to  be  in  the  condition  of  most  who  have 
books  enough  to  make  such  an  article  desirable, 
but  not  indispensable. 

Mr.  Edward  A.  Crowninshield  has  one  of  the 
rarest  libraries  of  old  English  books  in  this  section 
of  the  country.  It  is  not  large,  the  entire  num- 
ber being  from  twenty-five  hundred  to  three 
thousand  volumes.  It  is  quite  rich  in  early 
American  history  and  biography.  He  has  a  per- 
fect copy  of  the  old  Bay  Psalm  Book,  perhaps 
the  only  one  owned  by  a  private  individual  in 
New  England.  Among  other  rare  books  we  no- 
ticed, was  an  original  copy  of  Cushman's  Ply- 
mouth Sermon,  Purchas  Pilgrims,  Smith's  His- 
tory of  Virginia  and  New  England,  (an  original 
copy,)  Hypocrisie  Unmasked  by  Edward  Wins- 
low,  Hakluyt  Voyages  published  in  1582,  an 
original  copy  of  the  Christian  Commonwealth  by 
John  Eliot,  and  a  similar  copy  of  Bradford  and 
Winslow's  Kelation,  published  in  London.  Then 
he  has  the  first  edition  of  Chaucer,  by  Thomas 
Godfrey,  of  1532 ;  the  same  of  Shakspeare's  and 
Milton's  Poems.  Other  rare  books  are  The  School 
Master,  by  Roger  Ascham,  Coryats  Crudities  of 


32 


1611,  from  the  library  of  the  Duke  of  Sussex, 
the  whole  Book  of  Psalms  by  Sternhold  and  Hop- 
kins, and  a  book  on  angling  by  Bernes,  bearing 
date  of  1486.  Other  books  have  a  value  more 
than  their  natural  one,  from  their  former  owners ; 
such  as  the  copy  of  Chaucer  owned  by  Charles 
Lamb,  with  his  private  notes,  and  several  volumes 
that  belonged  to  Kobert  Southey.  Other  books 
that  may  deserve  mention,  are  the  Nuremburg 
Chronicle  of  1493,  King  James'  Works,  Dibdin's 
Biographical  Works,  and  Samuel  Gorton's  Answer 
to  Morton's  Memorial  in  manuscript.  We  have 
thus  given  an  imperfect  list  of  some  of  the  rarer 
gems  of  the  library.  The  books  are  most  ele- 
gantly bound,  and  being  so  choice,  make  a  very 
fine  appearance  in  the  parlor  of  the  owner's  resi- 
dence. One  can  hardly  think  of  finer  parlor  or- 
naments, and  it  is  a  matter  of  wonder,  that  those 
who  have  no  library  proper,  and  are  straitened 
for  room,  do  not  line  their  parlors  with  books,  in- 
stead of  packing  them  in  closets,  or  attics ;  and 
thus  render  the  best  rooms  more  attractive,  and 
their  books'  more  useful. 

Mr.  Richard  Frothingham,  Jr.,  of  Charlestown, 
has  a  good  working  library  of  more  than  four 
thousand  volumes,  which  he  has  found  pleasure 
in  collecting  since  he  was  a  mere  lad.  The 


33 

strength  of  the  library  is  in  history  and  politics, 
or  on  those  subjects  in  which  the  owner  is  well 
known  to  be  most  interested,  and  on  which  he 
daily  employs  his  pen.  Besides  books  that  we 
have  previously  mentioned  in  connection  with 
other  libraries,  he  has  Rushworth's  Historical  Col- 
lections, Hansard's  Parliamentary  Debates,  histo- 
ries of  all  the  different  States,  so  far  as  published, 
— nearly  one  hundred  local  histories,  town  and 
other,  of  Massachusetts, — the  Congressional  Globe 
complete, — every  work  on  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  that  has  been  issued, — and  the 
Congressional  Debates  complete.  He  is  quite 
full  in  periodical  literature  and  in  cyclopaedias. 
In  the  former  department  we  noticed  among 
other  tempting  volumes,  a  complete  set  of  the 
Edinburgh  Review, — and  among  the  latter,  the 
London  Encyclopaedia.  The  number  of  pam- 
phlets is  large,  and  that  of  newspapers  uncom- 
monly so. 

Another  speciality  may  be  mentioned,  and  that 
is  a  complete  collection  of  all  that  has  been  pub- 
lished on  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

Mr.  Lucius  M.  Sargent,  of  Roxbury,  has  a  fine 
library  of  several  thousand  volumes.  Though 
the  writer  has  often  been  in  the  library,  yet  hav- 
ing no  design,  at  those  times,  to  publicly  notice 


34 

it,  he  is  now  only  able  to  say,  that  the  library  is 
very  rich  in  English  literature,  with  such  other 
books  as  a  scholar  and  reader  of  leisure  would  be 
likely  to  gather  around  him.  We  remember  to 
have  had  our  attention  called  to  Hansard's  Par- 
liamentary Debates, — to  the  Lives  of  the  British 
Lord  Chancellors  and  Chief  Justices.  There  are 
many  gems  in  the  collection.  Mr.  Sargent's 
house  is  full  of  works  of  art,  and  of  divers  curiosi- 
ties, both  interesting  and  rare.  The  library  is 
all  the  more  attractive,  particularly  during  the 
warmer  months,  from  its  remarkable  situation, 
surrounded  by  a  natural  forest, — from  the  fine 
views  in  different  directions,  of  land  and  water, 
of  cities,  forests  and  fields  that  it  commands,  and 
from  its  complete  retirement,  without  giving  to 
the  occupant  any  feeling  of  loneliness. 

Mr.  B.  Homer  Dixon  has  a  speciality  of  from 
twelve  to  fourteen  hundred  volumes,  principally 
on  genealogy,  heraldry,  armory  and  kindred  sub- 
jects. It  is,  without  doubt,  the  richest  of  the 
kind  in  Boston,  as  may  be  inferred  from  the  titles 
of  a  few  of  his  books, — Logan's  Clans  of  the 
Scottish  Highlands,  most  beautifully  illustrated 
with  colored  plates, — Meyrick's  Critical  Inquiry 
into  Ancient  Armor,  as  it  existed  in  Europe, — 
Stothard's  Monumental  Effigies  of  Great  Britain, 


35 

Strutt's  Complete  View  of  the  Dress  and  Habits 
of  the  People  of  England, — The  New  Statistical 
Account  of  Scotland,  by  the  Ministers  of  the 
Respective  Parishes, — Crawford's  and  Douglass' 
Peerage,  Burke  and  other  English  Heraldic 
works, — Douglass'  Baronage,  etc.  etc.  The  room 
is  well  suited  to  the  size  and  character  of  the 
books,  and  the  specimens  of  ancient  armor  with 
which  it  'is  ornamented  are  both  curious  and 
rare. 

The  library  of  Mr.  George  Ticknor  is  one  of 
the  most  distinguished.  It  is  agreed,  that  he  has 
the  choicest  collection  of  Spaniah  books  out  of 
Spain.  It  is  rich  also  in  other  departments. 
The  entire  number  of  volumes  is  thirteen  thou- 
sand. The  library  room  is  one  of  the  very  finest. 
It  is  a  charming  room  that  overlooks  the  pleas- 
antest  prospects  afforded  within  the  city  of  Bos- 
ton and  beyond  it.  It  combines  the  full  advan- 
tages of  a  library,  of  a  study,  and  of  a  sitting 
room.  Mr.  Ticknor  is  understood  to  be  particu- 
larly liberal  in  lending  his  books  to  every  one 
who  will  use  them.  Having  merely  been  in  the 
library,  without  examining  a  single  book,  we  are 
obliged  to  content  ourselves  with  these  brief  gen- 
eralities. 

The  library  of  Mr.  J.  Wingate  Thornton,  of 


36 

Brookline,  contains  not  far  from  fifteen  hundred 
books,  relating  specially  to  early  American  Colo- 
nization, particularly  of  New  England,  and  to  the 
rise  of  Puritanism  in  Church  and  State.  Among 
the  rarities  may  be  specified  an  elegant  copy  of 
the  1617  folio  of  De  Bry  upon  America,  illus- 
trated by  his  engravings  from  the  original  draw- 
ings made  by  With,  the  artist  in  Sir  Walter  Ra- 
leigh's  Expedition  to  Virginia,  in  1584 ; — a  fine 
copy  of  Selden's  Mare  Clausum,  1652,  sent  by 
Thomas  Hollis  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mayhew,  and 
containing  manuscript  notes  by  the  former ; — 
also  Heylyns  Oosmographie,  1657, — a  folio  from 
the  library  of  the  Apostle  Eliot,  whose  marginal 
notes  are  scattered  through  the  volume  ; — a  copy 
of  Thane's  British  Autography,  four  volumes. 
Mr.  T.  has  "the  Journall,  The  Faithful  Post,"  the 
newspaper  published  by  the  British  Parliament, 
1644-1650,  and  the  Boston  News  Letter, — the 
Boston  Post  Boy,  1719,  and  successive  years. 
His  copy  of  Prideaux's  Connections  is  rendered 
thrice  precious  since  it  came  from  the  library  of 
Jonathan  Edwards  in  1751,  and  from  that  of  his 
pupil  Samuel  Hopkins  in  1782.  Other  rarities 
are  an  elegant  copy  of  the  first  edition  of  Chil- 
lingworth's  Religion  of  Protestants,  1638  ; — Nor- 
ton's Orthodox  Evangelist,  presented  by  him  to 


37 

Richard  Mather,  with  Mather's  notes ; — a  large 
and  valuable  collection  of  early  New  England 
pamphlets,  embracing  the  Missionary  Reports  of 
Eliot  and  Mayhew  among  the  Indians,  etc.  In 
the  rich  collection  of  manuscripts  the  earliest  is 
the  Sheffield  Charter,  a  beautiful  fac-simile  of 
which  has  recently  been  published.  There  are 
also  manuscripts  of  most  of  the  early  worthies 
of  New  England.  Among  those  of  a  later  date 
are  originals  of  the  parole  of  the  British  forces 
cantoned  at  Cambridge,  Dec.  13,  1777,  under 
the  restrictions  of  the  convention  made  on  the 
16th  of  October,  between  Lieut.  Gen.  Burgoyne 
and  Maj.  Gen.  Gates  at  Saratoga ;  and  the  same 
Nov.  17,  1778,  signed  "  J.  Burgoine,  Lieut.  Gen- 
eral," and  by  Riedesel,  Maj.  General,  and  the  com- 
missioned officers,  numbering  several  hundred. 

Under  date  of  Dec.  12,  1854,  Mr.  Charles  F. 
Adams  says,  in  a  note  to  the  writer,  "  My  library 
is  unfortunately  so  much  scattered  in  four  sepa- 
rate houses,  three  of  them  in  Quincy  locked  up 
for  the  winter,  that  I  can  scarcely  promise  to 
give  you  a  sight  of  more  than  the  portion  I  have 
here,  which  is  by  no  means  the  largest."  The 
portion  referred  to,  Mr.  Adams  has  collected  him- 
self. It  is  composed  chiefly  of  modern  editions 
of  the  classics,  and  of  English  literature.  The 


entire  library  is  undoubtedly  the  largest  in  New 
England,  embracing  from  seventeen  to  eighteen 
thousand  volumes,  that  belonged  to  his  father 
and  grandfather,  the  two  President  Adams',  with 
his  own  purchases.  His  father  purchased  his 
books  in  Holland,  Berlin,  Russia  and  England, 
while  abroad  in  the  public  service.  He  bought 
mostly  in  Holland.  He  was  full  in  German  edi- 
tions of  the  classics ;  very  full  in  French,  and 
had  a  very  large  collection  of  English  books. 
Added  to  these,  he  had  a  large  number  of  politi- 
cal and  diplomatic  works,  and  the  French  biogra- 
phies of  the  day.  His  law  library  was  pretty 
large.  Both  his  father  and  grandfather  left  a 
large  number  of  volumes  in  manuscript,  nearly 
.one  hundred  and  fifty  volumes  in  all,  the  most  of 
which  treasures  the  reading  world  have  not  yet 
had  an  opportunity  to  examine.  His  father  had 
collected  considerable  theology.  It  is  a  noticeable 
fact,  that  there  are  but  two  public  libraries  in 
Boston  that  contain  more  books  each  than  are 
found  in  that  of  Mr.  Adams. 

We  come  now  to  speak  very  briefly  of  several 
other  libraries  that  we  have  not  examined,  nor 
even  seen.  The  information  may  yet  be  relied 
on,  as  it  has  usually  been  furnished  us  in  writing. 
The  library  of  Rev.  William  Jenks,D.  D.,  contains 


39 

near  five  thousand  books,  and  would  number 
more,  but  for  the  books  that  he  has  given  to 
several  public  libraries  at  home  and  abroad.  He 
owned  but  eighty  books  when  he  left  college. 
He  has  purchased  since  as  he  wanted,  and  as  he 
could  afford.  The  library  is  richest  in  philology 
and  biblical  criticism.  He  has  the  Bible,  in  whole 
or  in  part,  in  forty  different  languages.  The  next 
fullest  department  is  that  of  the  Greek  and  Latin 
classics.  Then  come  theology,  history,  biogra- 
phy, and  his  pamphlet  department,  in  which  are 
from  two  to  three  thousand.  He  has  considerable 
law  literature,  and  some  Chinese  books,  and  he 
gave  a  larger  number  to  aid  in  the  formation  of 
the  library  of  the  Oriental  Society,  in  which  he 
took  an  active  and  leading  interest  from  the  be- 
ginning. 

Mr.  Robert  C.  Winthrop  has  never  pretended 
to  collect  an  imposing  library.  The  books  he  has 
are  "  fit,  though  few."  He  modestly  writes  of  it : 
"  It  is  a  mere  workshop,  with  twelve  or  fifteen 
hundred  tools,  and  makes  no  pretension  to  a 
slwiv  library"* 

The  following  extract  from  a  pleasant  note 
from  Mr.  Henry  W.  Longfellow,  will  remind  the 


*  It  should  be  mentioned,  that  Mr.  Winthrop  made  a  donation  of  books  to  the 
Boston  Public  Library,— a  valuable  collection  of  several  hundred  volumes. 


40 

reader  of  what  was  recorded  of  the  poet  Words- 
worth's books :  "  I  am  afraid  my  library  is  hardly 
worthy  of  a  place  in  your  list.  In  fact  it  is  hard- 
ly a  library  at  all ;  but  some  books,  scattered  all 
over  the  house,  in  entries,  dressing-rooms  and 
closets,  to  the  amount,  perhaps,  of  three  thousand, 
though  I  have  never  counted  them."  A  poet's 
description  of  a  poet's  library. 

Mr.  Joseph  E.  Worcester,  of  Cambridge,  has, 
including  pamphlets,  considerably  more  than  two 
thousand  volumes.  He  writes  :  "  My  library  con- 
sists of  works  on  lexicograpy  and  philology, 
geography  and  statistics,  history,  theology  and 
miscellaneous  literature.  My  purpose  has  been 
to  make  it  as  complete  as  I  could  in  respect  to 
English  dictionaries  and  glossaries,  and  perhaps 
it  is  as  complete  as  any  library  in  the. country,  in 
relation  to  works  of  this  kind.  It  comprises  as 
many  as  two  hundred  and  twenty  or  thirty  dic- 
tionaries, but  many  of  them  are  of  little  value. 

Mr.  Jared  Sparks,  of  Cambridge,  writes  of  his 
books  :  "  I  have  nothing  worthy  of  public  notice. 
My  collection  consists  of  about  six  thousand  vol- 
umes, more  than  half  of  them  pertaining  to 
American  history,  the  others  miscellaneous.  I  do 
not  perceive  that  they  can  be  described  in  any 
way  to  add  interest  to  your  article  on  libraries." 


41 

The  following  brief  description  of  the  library 
now  belonging  to  Dr.  Morrill  Wyman,  of  the 
same  city,  together  with  its  touching  history,  will 
be  read  with  interest :  "  I  send  you  a  catalogue 
of  the  library  of  Prof.  Tiedeman,  which  has  been 
recently  transferred  to  Cambridge.  Prof.  Tiede- 
man  is  one  of  the  most  distinguished  physiolo- 
gists in  Europe,  formerly  at  Heidelberg,  but  for 
several  years  resident  at  Frankfort.  He  is  ninety 
years  of  age  and  blind — and  was  anxious  to  dis- 
pose of  his  library,  to  enable  him  to  increase  his 
means  of  support,  taken  from  him  during  the  re- 
volution of  1848.  An  examination  of  the  cata- 
logue will  show  how  rich  it  is  in  anatomy  and 
physiology  and  medicine.  Some  of  the  books 
are  exceedingly  rare  and  of  great  value."  It  is 
stated  elsewhere,  that  the  library  is  very  valua- 
ble, and  contains  five  thousand  books. 

The  library  of  Mr.  Theodore  Parker  is  under- 
stood to  be  a  rare  one.  He  has  been  gathering 
books  with  a  busy  hand  all  his  life.  He  estimates 
his  library  as  containing  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
thousand,  in  fifty  or  sixty  different  languages,  which 
he  has  collected  from  every  quarter.  The  libra- 
ry is  "rich  in  theology,  metaphysics,  biblical 
and  patristic  literature,  in  philology,  in  Greek, 
Roman  and  German  authors." 


Dr.  John  Jeffries  has  a  collection  of  near  two 
thousand  volumes, — mostly  medical  works,  that 
he  inherited  from  his  father,  who  perhaps  had 
the  best  medical  library  of  any  physician  in  Bos- 
ton in  his  day — a  library  that  he  gathered  him- 
self in  Europe,  while  he  studied  and  practiced 
abroad.  In  the  collection  are  several  very  old 
and  rare  books  on  anatomy,  beautifully  illus- 
trated. One  volume  has  an  account  of  the  first 
case  of  dissection  in  England  of  a  subject  who 
died  from  an  epidemic  disease.  A  picture  repre- 
sents two  dissectors  over  the  dead  body,  one  of 
whom  is  offering  up  a  prayer  to  the  great  Cre- 
ator. There  was  a  rule  that  the  body  should  not 
be  touched  before  prayer.  We  also  noticed  in 
this  library  several  old  and  rare  classical  works. 
As  Dr.  Jeffries  the  father  owned  it,  it  had  exten- 
sive literary  as  well  as  professional  treasures,  and 
was  altogether  a  large  and  valuable  library  for 
the  last  century  on  this  side  of  the  water. 

The  library  of  the  Rev.  Cyrus  A.  Bartol,  a 
next  door  neighbor  of  Dr.  J.,  on  Chestnut  Street, 
is  of  about  the  same  extent.  It  is  composed  of 
theological,  literary  and  miscellaneous  works,  with 
a  fair  proportion  of  books  in  the  learned  lan- 
guages. It  is  a  good  working  library  for  a  hard 
toiling  pastor,  and  it  is  pleasant  to  record  that 


43 

the  possessor  lends  more  volumes  than  he  uses 
himself.  Thus  his  volumes  are  twice,  yea  thrice 
useful. 

The  reader  who  is  interested  in  subjects  of  this 
nature,  will  thank  the  Rev.  Barnas  Sears,  D.  D., 
of  Providence,  for  the  following  details  on  his 
library,  which  are  taken  from  a  letter  of  his  un- 
der date  of  Dec.  28,  1854. 

"  I  counted  the  volumes  of  my  library  to-day 
for  the  first  time,  and  found  that  the  number  is 
four  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-five. 
My  library  embraces  Latin  and  Greek  classics, 
and  philological  and  antiquarian  works  in  illus- 
tration of  them,  all  choice  editions,  purchased  on 
the  recommendation  of  German  professors ; — 
works  on  the  earlier  literature  of  Germany, 
England,  France,  with  some  on  the  old  Norse, 
Danish,  Swedish,  Dutch  and  Provence  languages. 
I  have  a  pretty  full  collection  of  old  works  on 
systematic  theology,  including  the  best  editions 
of  several  of  the  Lathi  and  Greek  Fathers ; — 
select  works,  old  and  recent,  on  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  mostly  in 
Latin  or  German.  But  my  library  is  more  especially 
historical,  both  ecclesiastical  and  secular.  I  have 
a  good  supply  of  the  general  histories  of  the 
Church,  of  Greece  and  Rome,  of  the  Middle 


44 


Ages,  and  of  all  the  countries  of  modern  Europe ; 
but  the  most  rare  and  valuable  part  of  my  library 
consists  of  original  special  histories  relating  to  the 
period  of  the  Reformation,  and  what  preceded  or 
followed  it, — every  thing  that  belongs  to,  or  bor- 
ders upon  the  sixteenth  century ; — histories  of 
cities  and  towns,  of  Emperors,  Electors,  Dukes, 
Landgraves;  of  eminent  scholars,  and  theolo- 
gians, (with  their  works) ; — a  complete  library  of 
some  hundreds  of  volumes  on  Luther ; — the 
works  of  Luther,  Zuingle  and  Melancthon ; — the 
original  editions  of  many  of  Luther's  tracts,  and 
others  of  his  times ;  histories  of  universities  and 
gymnasia  ;  histories  of  monastic  orders ;  histories 
of  medicine,  of  Roman  and  civil  law,  of  philoso- 
phy, ancient  and  modern,  of  the  different  branch- 
es of  theology ;  histories  of  literature,  ancient 
and  modern,  general  and  special ;  biographies 
more  numerous  and  more  select  than  in  any  pri- 
vate library  that  I  have  seen  in  this  vicinity,  in- 
cluding all  the  more  valuable  '  monagraphs,'  as 
they  are  called,  of  the  German  scholars.  I  have 
also  numerous  volumes  of  original  letters,  Eng- 
lish and  German,  and  diaries,  etc.  Indeed,  the 
more  special  the  history,  the  more  valuable  in 
my  estimation.  Most  of  my  books  came  from 
Germany,  and  are  in  German  or  Latin.  I  have 


45 

many  volumes  that  were  printed  in  the  early 
part  of  the  sixteenth  century." 

We  have  a  letter,  dated  Boston,  Feb.  13,  1855, 
from  Mr.  Fletcher  Webster,  relating  to  the  library 
of  the  late  and  lamented  Hon.  Daniel  Webster. 
The  following  extracts  give  a  general  idea  of  the 
collection.  "The  library  consists  of  about  five 
thousand  volumes,  including  the  law-books.  I  am 
not  aware  that  it  contains  any  very  rare  or  cu- 
rious works.  It  is  well  selected  for  general  read- 
ing, and  very  full  on  certain  subjects.  Agricul- 
ture, botany  and  history  occupy  a  very  consider- 
able space  on  its  shelves,  and  it  has  nearly  all 
the  popular  philosophical  works.  Of  late  years 
my  father  seemed  to  seek  books  of  reference, 
encyclopaedias,  hand-books,  elementary  treatises 
on  such  subjects  as  astronomy,  geology,  agricul- 
ture in  its  various  branches,  and  works  of  that 
nature.  There  is  a  very  large  collection,  I  should 
say,  of  dictionaries,  topographical,  commercial, 
botanical  and  maritime,  in  various  languages. 
There  are  few  novels,  except  those  of  Scott  and 
Edgeworth ;  but  all  the  best  poets,  whom  he  was 
fond  of  reading  and  quoting,  are  found,  together 
with  the  standard  British  and  Latin  classics,  and 
many  editions  of  Shakspeare. 

"The  collection  is  chiefly  English,  though  there 


46 


is  a  very  considerable  portion  of  works  in  French 
and  other  languages.  Of  maps  there  are  several, 
as  it  was  my  father's  custom  to  let  nothing  re- 
main uncertain,  or  half  understood,  and  his  maps 
and  dictionaries  were  constantly  referred  to,  on 
the  slightest  occasion  of  doubt.  There  is  a  large 
number  of  religious  works,  which  he  read  very 
much,  (as  I  believe  you  are  aware,)  and  many 
Bibles,  of  different  editions  and  in  various  lan- 
guages. His  library  was  by  no  means  designed 
for  show,  nor  were  the  volumes  gaudily  bound. 
The  only  show  book  that  I  now  call  to  mind  is 
Audubon's  great  work  on  the  Birds  of  America. 
I  am  not  aware,  my  dear  Sir,  of  any  further  de- 
scription that  I  can  give  you,  without  going  very 
much  into  detail.  You  can  readily  conceive  what 
volumes  a  person  of  my  father's  tastes,  pursuits 
and  character  would  naturally  collect,  to  meet 
his  wants  as  a  lawyer,  statesman,  agriculturist 
and  general  student.  The  collection  of  official 
documents  is  quite  extensive." 

The  writer  is  able  to  add,  that  he  had  the 
privilege,  during  Mr.  Webster's  life-time,  to 
examine  his  library  repeatedly,  and  he  feels 
that  the  above  note  of  his  son  has  not  spoken 
of  it  in  terms  at  all  extravagant.  His  Con- 
gflMBOtuU  books  were  more  numerous  than 


any  collection  we   know    in  this   vicinity,    and 
the  library   which    was    built  a  few   years  be- 
fore the   exit    of   the   great   statesman,   taking 
into   view   its   architecture,    its   position,  which 
commands  fine   views   of  an  open   country,   in 
the  distance,  and  near,  green  fields,  and  a  tiny 
sheet  of  water,   is  one  of  the  most  agreeable. 
It  is  a  pleasant  recollection  of  our's,  that  we  met 
Mr.  Webster,  the  first  time  we  ever  saw  him  at 
Marshfield,  in  that  very  library,  on  the  afternoon 
of  as  pleasant  a  June  day  as  ever  gladdened  his 
lovely  home.     The   conversation   for  nearly  an 
hour  turned  upon  his  books   in  general,   upon 
the   Bible   in   particular,   and   upon   the    Chris- 
tian ministry,  especially  in  Boston  and  neighbor- 
hood, when  Mr.  Webster  removed  there  in  1816. 
The  illustrious  speaker  was  in  his  best  mood,  arid 
discoursed  to  a  little  party  of  us,  as  he  alone 
could;    and   such   was  the   impression   that   he 
made  upon  one  of  the  party,  at  least,  that  he 
could   almost  write   out   his  converse  verbatim 
even  after  a  lapse  of  so  many  years.     He  re- 
marked,   on    that   occasion,   that   he  had   been 
collecting  his  library  for  thirty  years,  and  that 
he  had  gathered  only  those  books  that  he  wished 
for  his  personal  use. 

During  the  month  of  July  last,  and  after  the 


48 

foregoing  was  prepared,  the  writer  passed  three 
days  at  Marshfield,  in  the  company  of  Mr. 
Fletcher  Webster  and  others,  in  examining  with 
particular  care  the  rich  stores  of  the  family 
library.  We  are  now  prepared  to  say,  that  the 
collection  is  better  and  fuller  than  Mr.  Webster's 
note  has  made  it.  We  now  estimate  the  books 
at  more  than  six  thousand  volumes.  Of  these 
some  two  thousand  are  political,  if  we  embrace 
under  that  term  congressional  and  diplomatic 
works.  There  are  fully  a  thousand  books  of  his- 
tory ;  of  cyclopaedias,  dictionaries  and  hand- 
books, there  are  five  hundred.  We  know  of  no 
private  library  so  full  in  this  department.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  maps  and  guide  books.  On 
agriculture  and  works  bearing  upon  it,  we  should 
say  there  are  half  a  thousand.  There  is  scarcely 
a  useless  book  in  the  whole  collection.  The 
library  is  eminently  one  containing  useful,  every 
day  knowledge ;  and  one  would  judge  from  the 
books,  that  the  owner  bought  for  his  own  use 
and  not  at  all  for  display,  that  he  meant  perfectly 
to  understand  every  subject  that  he  was  called 
upon  to  investigate  in  his  varied  relations  and 
callings ;  yea  more,  that  he  was  interested  to 
know  every  thing,  that  it  is  proper  for  man  to 
know.  And  we  suspect  there  is  hardly  a  good 


49 

book  in  the  whole  collection  that  he  had  not 
read  and  mastered.  We  did  not  notice  an  infidel 
book,  or  one  that  would  corrupt  the  mind,  or  the 
heart,  but  on  the  contrary,  all  are  of  a  character 
to  make  both  better.  If  "  a  man  may  be  known 
by  the  company  he  keeps,"  then  the  man  who 
collected  and  lived  with  these  books,  must  be  set 
down  not  simply  as  a  great,  but  as  a  good  man. 

The  library  is  now  perfectly  arranged  by  sub- 
jects in  the  several  cases,  as  follows  — Reference 
books  ;  Poetry  and  Romance  ;  History  and  Biog- 
raphy ;  Politics ;  Theology  and  Philosophy ; 
Law;  Diplomatic  and  Congressional ;  Agriculture 
and  Science ;  Miscellaneous.  All  the  books  are 
properly  classified  under  these  subjects,  and  they 
are  mainly  in  the  Mansion  Library  Room,  and  in 
the  Law  office.  Beside  these,  there  are  twelve 
hundred  law  and  congressional  books  in  the  old 
Winslow  House,  awaiting  better  accommoda- 
tions. 

This  library  should  be  preserved  as  it  is,  and 
no  doubt  will  be.  Every  visitor  is  desirous  of 
seeing  it  as  Mr.  "Webster  saw  it,  and  as  he  used  it. 
It  is  one  of  the  great  attractions  of  his  home. 
For  forty  years  the  lamented  owner  was  collect- 
ing these  literary  works,  and  they  are  good  re- 
presentatives of  his  mind  and  heart.  These  were 


50 

the  companions  of  his  leisure  hours,  and  those 
who  have  admired  him  in  the  Senate  and  in 
Court  will  know,  when  they  see  these  books, 
that  what  they  heard  with  so  much  pleasure, 
was  the  result  of  much  study,  which  is  a  weari- 
ness of  the  flesh. 

Mr.  Caleb  Gushing,  of  Newburyport,  (now  of 
Washington,)  is  known  to  have  a  rare  collection 
of  books  in  Chinese,  which  he  collected  while  a 
Minister  in  "the  Central  flowery  nation."  He 
has  also  a  precious  museum  of  Mexican  books 
and  antiquities.  The  late  Mr.  Andrews  Norton, 
of  Cambridge,  left  a  valuable  library,  containing 
books  of  theology,  and  those  bearing  upon  that 
subject,  which,  it  is  well  known,  occupied  his 
mind  as  a  thinker  and  author.  The  library  in 
connection  with  that  of  his  son,  Mr.  Charles  Eliot 
Norton,  numbers  about  six  thousand.  It  has 
been  publicly  stated,  that  Mr.  Charles  Sprague 
has  a  fine  library  of  three  thousand  volumes, 
and  a  rare  collection  of  paintings  and  sculpture. 
The  poet's  well  known  love  of  home,  may  have 
been  much  fostered  through  these  domestic  atr 
tractions. 

The  library  of  the  Kev.  Thomas  Whittemore, 
of  Cambridge,  contains  two  thousand  volumes, 
and  he  has  generously  given  a  thousand  to  va- 


51 

rious  literary  and  other  institutions.  As  we 
might  expect  from  the  studies  to  which  the  pro- 
prietor has  given  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  his 
collection  is  fullest  in  dogmatic  theology.  He  is 
quite  full  in  ecclesiastical  and  general  history ; 
and  next  in  importance  stand  biography  and 
miscellany. 

The  late  Rev.  Alexander  Young, D.D.,  had  a  well 
selected  and  valuable  library  of  from  two  to  three 
thousand  volumes,  which  is  still  entire  at  his  late 
residence.  It  may  be  termed  in  general  a  mis- 
cellaneous library,  and  particularly  full  in  Eng- 
lish literature.  There  are  a  good  variety  of 
books  in  the  departments  of  theology,  history, 
and  the  ancient  classics.  Several  of  the  books 
remind  the  beholder  that  Dr.  Young  had  a  great 
taste  for  the  early  history  of  his  country.  The 
library  of  Mr.  Lemuel  Shattuck  is  rather  a  spe- 
ciality on  statistics  and  sanitary  science,  as  his 
publications  would  lead  one  to  expect.  The  other 
departments  of  human  knowledge  in  which  he  is 
fullest  are  history,  local  and  general,  public  docu- 
ments, biography  and  natural  history,  giving  an 
entire  aggregate  of  about  two  thousand  volumes. 
Mr.  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  of  Dorchester,  has  a  special- 
ity, too,  on  agriculture  and  horticulture,  to  which 
subjects  he  has  given  his  leisure  for  many  years. 


52 

The  library  of  the  Right  Rev  Manton  East- 
burn,  D.  D.,  contains  near  three  thousand  well 
selected  volumes  in  the  departments  of  theol- 
ogy, classical  and  English  literature,  in  Italian, 
German,  French  and  general  miscellany.  These 
subjects  well  represent  Dr.  Eastburn's  book  tastes 
and  studies.  His  Stephen's  ^Eschylus  of  1557, 
a  Greek  Lexicon  by  Suidas,  and  Walton's  Poly- 
glot Bible,  and  others  may  be  mentioned.  The 
books  of  this  library  bear  the  appearance  of  hav- 
ing been  much  studied.  Indeed,  the  criticism 
that  one  might  pass  upon  some  libraries  is,  that 
the  books  appear  too  nice,  and  too  little  read, 
so  that  he  is  led  to  infer  that  the  knowledge  is 
rather  upon  the  shelves,  than  in  the  heads  and 
hearts  of  the  proprietors.  / 

The  library  of  Mr.  Samuel  G.  Drake  embraces 
above  six  thousand  volumes.  Ten  years  ago  the 
proprietor  sold  a  library  of  some  three  thousand 
volumes,  that  were  principally  duplicates,  so  far 
as  rare  books  were  concerned.  The  prominent 
subjects  of  Mr.  D.'s  library  are  history  and  an- 
tiquities. It  is  pretty  full  in  old  English  history, 
embracing  the  most  important  of  the  old  black- 
li-tter  chronicles.  In  the  naval  history  of  Eng- 
land it  is  uncommonly  rich.  But  the  chief  de- 
sign oC  the  library  is  to  elucidate  the  early  his- 


53 

tory  and  antiquities  of  America.  He  has  almost 
everything  concerning  the  Indians,  embracing 
besides  bound  volumes  above  a  thousand  tracts 
upon  the  aboriginal  tribes,  many  of  them  very 
rare,  and  hardly  to  be  found  elsewhere. 

The  local  history  of  New  England,  in  particu- 
lar, has  long  received  special  attention.  Mr.  D. 
has,  besides,  nearly  all  the  published  histories  of 
states,  counties,  cities  and  towns,  and  a  collection 
of  seven  or  eight  thousand  pamphlets,  illustrative 
of  the  local  history  of  the  divisions  above  enu- 
merated. He  has  also  two  hundred  volumes  of 
English  local  histories,  and  a  large  number  of 
early  wrorks  on  heraldry,  pedigrees,  and  such  sub- 
jects. The  manuscripts  of  the  library  are  con- 
siderably numerous,  covering  the  period  of  the 
early  settlement  of  New  England — many  of  them 
autographs  of  the  early  settlers — of  Bradford, 
Winslow,  Winthrop,  and  their  compeers. 

Mr.  John  Wells  Parker,  of  Eoxbury,  being  re- 
quested to  furnish  the  writer  a  sketch  of  his 
library,  that  was  understood  to  be  considerably 
a  speciality  of  newspaper  literature,  writes  as 
follows : 

"My  library  is  a  miscellaneous  collection  of 
about  one  thousand  volumes,  and  several  hundred 
pamphlets.  Of  newspapers  I  have  one  hundred 


54 

and  fifty  bound  volumes,  and  a  large  number  un- 
bound. These  were  mostly  obtained  by  my 
father,  the  late  Samuel  Parker,  who  took  much 
interest  in  collecting  them. 

u  About  two  years  since  I  succeeded  in  obtain- 
in  the  Essex  Gazette  from  1768  to  1771,  some 
numbers  being  missing  in  the  first  three  years ; 
so  that  I  am  only  wanting  in  the  files  for  1772  and 
1773,  to  have  a  file  of  the  paper  from  17G8  to 
the  present  time,  if  we  call  the  present  Boston 
Daily  Advertiser  a  lineal  descendant  of  that 
journal.  Fortunately  I  have  files  of  other  news- 
papers for  those  missing  dates. 

"  I  have  a  few  numbers  of  the  News  Letter  for 
1710  ;  also  a  file  of  the  same  for  the  years  1733 
and  1734,  and  many  numbers  between  that  date 
and  1775.  In  addition  may  be  mentioned  the 
New  England  Weekly  Journal,  1727  to  1729, 
and  for  1733  and  1734,  and  files  of  the  Weekly 
Advertiser,  Boston  Chronicle,  Boston  Post  Boy, 
Boston  Gazette,  etc.  My  files  of  newspapers  for 
that  interesting  period  of  ten  or  twelve  years 
immediately  preceding  the  Revolution  are  mostly 
in  excellent  preservation.  Of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Gazette  I  have  some  numbers  published  in 
1758.  Tliis  paper  is  still  published,  and  is,  I 
111 ink,  the  oldest  continued  newspaper  in  the 


55 

United  States.  I  have  specimens  of  most  of  the 
newspapers  ever  published  in  Boston. 

"My  father  wrote  a  sketch  of  the  Boston 
newspapers,  in  a  series  of  numbers,  which,  subse- 
quent to  his  decease  in  1831,  were  published  in 
the  Daily  Advertiser.  He  also  collected  a  series 
of  General  Election  and  Artillery  Election  Ser- 
mons, of  which  I  have  a  very  good  collection 
from  1700  to  the  present  time.  Of  discourses 
published  in  Boston  prior  to  1775,  I  have  up- 
wards of  two  hundred. 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  New  York  Historical 
Society,  recently,  it  was  stated  that  their  col- 
lection of  newspapers  alone  amounted  to  two 
thousand  volumes.  We  have  nothing  in  any 
New  England  library  that  will  compare  with  it  in 
this  respect." 

The  Eev.  Alexander  H.  Vinton,  D.  D.,  has  a 
good  library  for  a  clergyman,  and  of  special 
value  for  a  minister  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church.  His  study  is  lined  with  most  of  the 
standard  works  on  divinity;  and  in  works  on 
ecclesiastical  history  and  biblical  literature  he  is 
quite  full.  And  then  he  has  a  pretty  good  sup- 
ply of  works  on  general  history,  biography, 
science,  agriculture,  and  that  kind  of  literature 
that  most  aids  and  interests  one  of  his  profession. 


56 

Dr.  V.  has  aimed,  in  purchasing,  to  secure  books 
upon  every  branch  of  human  knowledge  that  he 
is  called  to  investigate,  and  to  be  quite  indepen- 
dent of  public  libraries.  And  this  he  has  accom- 
plished through  his  own  collection  of  one  or  two 
thousand  good  books,  and  the  free  use  of  the 
Sears'  Library,  which  has  been  attached  to  St. 
Paul's  Church  by  the  munificence  of  a  member 
of  the  parish.  This  last  library  numbers  about 
fifteen  hundred  well  chosen  volumes,  chiefly  of  a 
religious  and  theological  character. 

Dr.  Joseph  Palmer  has  been  at  the  pains  of 
collecting  a  thousand  volumes,  such  as  are  not 
usually  found  in  American  bookstores.  He  has 
imported  the  most  of  them  from  Europe  for  his 
own  use  as  a  compiler  of  statistics,  and  a  writer 
on  general  subjects.  He  has  a  considerable  num- 
ber" of  works  in  the  various  learned  languages, 
and  altogether  his  collection  is  more  valuable 
than  large.  Dr.  P.  states,  that  Dr.  N.  B.  Shurt- 
leff,  with  whose  collection  he  is  familiar,  has 
twice  as  many  volumes  as  his  own  library  con- 
tains, and  that  the  books  are  of  a  similar  de- 
scription. 

There  are  agreeable  rumors  of  good  libraries 
in  Salem.  No  one  who  has  ever  met  Mr.  Ste- 
phen C.  Phillips  in  his  parlor  can  have  failed  to 


57 

r  •*" 

have  observed  those  nicely  bound  ornaments  in 
the  shape  of  books,  which  are  set  off  to  advan- 
tage in  several  handsome  cases.  In  that  same 
city,  Mr.  Matthew  A.  Stickney  has  a  collection  of 
some  fifteen  hundred  tomes,  hi  addition  to  a 
speciality  of  almanacs.  If  one  travels  farther 
east,  to  West  Newbury,  and  should  chance  to  be- 
come the  guest  of  Major  Ben.  Perley  Poore,  at 
the  Indian  Hill  farm,  he  will  by  no  means  suffer 
from  a  famine  of  books,  particularly  in  the  de- 
partments of  history,  general  literature  and  agri- 
culture. The  father  of  Major  P.,  the  late  Mr. 
Benjamin  Poore,  who  at  one  period  of  his  life 
was  a  distinguished  farmer,  had  collected  several 
valuable  works  of  the  last  class.  But  the  gem 
of  his  literary  stores  is  a  large  and  valuable 
collection  of  autographs,*  beautifully  arranged. 
It  is  particularly  full  of  the  letters  of  distin- 
guished Europeans,  since  the  residence  of  the 
collector  abroad  for  several  years  gave  him  spe- 
cial opportunities  to  enrich  the  foreign  depart- 
ment. 


*  The  Rev.  William  B.  Sprague,  D.  D.,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  has  one  of  the  largest 
and  rarest  collections  of  autographs  in  this  country.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Smyth, 
D.  D.,  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  possesses  a  choice  collection.  That  of  Mr.  E.  H.  Lef- 
finwell,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  is  valued  at  several  thousand  dollars.  Other  pre- 
cious collections  are  those  of  Mr.  Lewis  J.  Cist,  of  Cincinnati, — of  Mrs.  Z.  Allen,  of 
Providence, — of  Mr.  Mellen  Chamberlain,,  of  Chelsea,— and  ef  Mr.  Charles  H. 
Morse,  of  Cambridge. 
8 


Passing  to  the  western  portion  of  the  State,  in 
the  town  of  Buckland,  we  find  a  library  that  is 
creditable  for  a  young  farmer,  in  a  retired  place. 
Mr.  Francis  H.  Forbes,  the  owner,  is  a  great 
reader,  and  has  been  accustomed  to  purchase  a 
book  as  he  wished  to  read  it.  He  now  counts  up 
nearly  twelve  hundred  volumes,  and  in  connec- 
tion has  a  good  collection  of  engravings.  The 
volumes  are  chiefly  in  the  departments  of  Eng- 
lish literature  and  the  ancient  classics. 

Mr.  George  Brinley,  Jr.,  of  Hartford,  Conn., 
has  the  reputation  of  possessing  books  to  the 
amount  of  several  thousand,  particularly  illustra- 
tive of  the  early  history  of  this  country.  Another 
collection  of  about  three  thousand,  on  miscella- 
neous subjects,  is  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Charles  K. 
Dillaway,  of  Roxbury.  Another  important  library 
is  that  of  Rev.  Dr.  Francis,  of  Cambridge,  which 
is  large  and  very  rich  in  old  English  literature. 
The  late  Mr.  James  Brown,  of  Watertown,  col- 
lected a  fine  library  on  English  literature,  horti- 
culture, and  ornithology.  The  books  are  of  the 
best  editions  and  binding.  The  travels  of  Mr.  B. 
in  Europe  and  his  frequent  visits  to  London  and 
Paris,  gave  him  a  fine  opportunity  to  select  good 
books  for  himself,  as  well  as  for  others.  Certain 
editions  of  British  authors  that  he  obtained  are 


59 


very  rarely  seen  in  this  country,  or  any  other. 
The  library  is  still  preserved  as  he  left  it.  And 
every  body  knows  that  it  would  have  been  much 
larger,  but  for  the  generosity  he  displayed  to- 
wards several  of  the  public  libraries  of  this  com- 
munity. 

The  late  venerable  Mr.  Thomas  Wigglesworth 
left  a  respectable  miscellaneous  library.  Gould's 
^yC  Birds  of  Europe,  in  fifteen  folio  volumes,  in  su- 
perb binding,  and  costing  sixteen  hundred  dol- 
lars, is  specially  worthy  of  mention.  It  is  a  very 
rare  book,  in  either  public  or  private  collections, 
in  the  United  States.  The  library  is  still  in  the 
possession  of  the  family.  If  the  books  of  the 
sons  of  Mr.  W.,  living  near  their  aged  mother 
in  Franklin  Place,  are  embraced,  the  family 
can  reckon  up  from  two  to  three  thousand 
volumes. 

The  library  of  the  late  Gen.  H.  A.  S.  Dearborn 
embraced  thirty-five  hundred  volumes,  besides 
pamphlets.  It  contains  many  works  on  Natural 
History.  The  character  of  the  books  generally 
may  be  represented  by  Gen.  D.'s  habits  as  a  gen- 
eral reader.  The  library  is  now  in  the  possession 
of  the  family  at  Roxbury.  His  son,  Mr.  William 
L.  Dearborn,  of  the  same  city,  has  a  collection  of 
fifteen  hundred  tomes,  which  is  mostly  a  very 


60 


valuable  speciality,  relating  to  the  profession  of 
Mr.  D., — civil  and  military  engineering. 

Mr.  Thomas  Dowse,  of  Cambridge,  has  a  large 
library  of  the  very  best  English  classics,  of  the 
best  editions  and  binding.  The  venerable  owner 
has  been  gathering  these  stores  for  many  years, 
and  it  has  evidently  afforded  him  great  pleasure. 
The  writer  can  barely  say,  that  he  has  glanced 
at  the  library  that  seems  to  be  the  richest  and 
fullest  in  English  literature  of  any  owned  by  a  pri- 
vate individual  in  New  England. 

Mr.  Edward  Everett  gave  the  following  beauti- 
ful and  valuable  notice  of  Mr.  D.'s  library  in  the 
course  of  an  address  introductory  to  the  Franklin 
Lectures,  in  Boston,  in  1831,  on  the  "Advantage 
of  Knowledge  to  Working  Men."* 

"  I  scarce  know  if  I  may  venture  to  adduce  an 
instance,  nearer  home,  of  the  most  praiseworthy 
and  successful  cultivation  of  useful  knowledge  on 
the  part  of  an  individual,  without  education, 
busily  employed  in  mechanical  industry.  I  have 
the  pleasure  to  be  acquainted,  in  one  of  the 
neighboring  towns,  with  a  person  who  was 
brought  up  to  the  trade  of  a  leather-dresser,  and 
has  all  his  life  worked,  and  still  works,  at  this 
business.  He  has  devoted  his  leisure  hours,  and 

*  See  Everett'*  Orations  and  Speechet,  Vol.  I.  p.  324. 


a  portion  of  his  honorable  earnings  to  the  culti- 
vation of  useful  and  elegant  learning.  Under 
the  same  roof  that  covers  his  workshop,  he  has 
the  most  excellent  library  of  English  books,  for 
its  size,  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  The  books 
have  been  selected  with  a  good  judgment,  which 
would  do  credit  to  the  most  accomplished  scholar, 
and  have  been  imported  from  England  by  him- 
self. What  is  more  important  than  having  the 
books,  their  proprietor  is  well  acquainted  with 
their  contents.  Among  them  are  several  vol- 
umes of  the  most  costly  and  magnificent  engrav- 
ings. Connected  with  his  library  is  an  exceed- 
ly  interesting  series  of  paintings,  in  water  colors, 
— copies  of  the  principal  works  of  the  ancient 
masters  in  England, — which  a  fortunate  accident 
placed  in  his  possession,  and  several  valuable  pic- 
tures, purchased  by  himself.'  The  whole  forms  a 
treasure  of  taste  and  knowledge,  not  surpassed, 
if  equalled,  by  any  thing  of  its  kind  in  the 
country." 

Mr.  Zelotes  Hosmer,  also  of  Cambridge,  has  a 
very  choice  library  of  English  and  American 
literature.  The  proprietor  modestly  speaks  of  it 
as  "small  and  undeserving  of  public  mention." 
But  his  friends  and  those  who  have  examined 
the  books  judge  otherwise.  He  has  many  old 


62 


English  books,  of  great  value,  some  of  which  are 
literally  "  worth  their  weight  in  gold."  The  room 
that  is  lined  with  these  treasures  is  one  of  the 
pleasantest  of  his  picturesque  cottage.  From  a 
survey  of  five  minutes  we  should  pronounce  both 
books  and  room  gems  of  their  kind. 

Repeated  visits  have  made  us  place  a  higher 
and  higher  value  upon  the  very  rare  and  valua- 
ble library  of  Mr.  George  Livermore,  of  the  same 
city,  containing  between  three  and  four  thousand 
volumes.  Nearly  a  quarter  part  of  the  entire 
collection  consists  of  Bibles  and  Biblical  Works, 
in  various  languages,  versions  and  forms,  from 
the  ancient  Hebrew  manuscript  Roll  to  the  most 
modern  translation  of  our  own  times. 

Among  the  manuscripts  of  interest  is  The  Pen- 
tateuch carefully  written  on  thirty-six  skins  of 
parchment,  and  measuring  fifty-eight  feet  in 
length  and  one  foot  in  breadth.  This  fine  apo- 
graph  is  rolled  upon  a  pair  of  handles  and  en- 
closed in  an  embroidered  silk  cover.  It  was  for- 
merly used  in  a  Jewish  Synagogue,  and  is  a  good 
specimen  of  an  ancient  volume  or  rolled  book. 

Two  copies  of  the  Bible  entire,  in  the  Latin 
Vulgate  version,  written  by  monks  in  the  middle 
ages  upon  the  most  delicate  vellum,  are  elabo- 
rately illuminated  with  beautiful  initial  letters, 


figures  and  miniatures.  They  are  of  the  twelfth 
and  thirteenth  centuries.  Each  was,  perhaps, 
the  work  of  a  whole  life. 

To  these  may  be  added,  an  Evangelistarium,  or 
Selections  from  the  Gospels,  for  the  use  of  the 
Church,  written  on  parchment  in  the  eighth  cen- 
tury, seven  hundred  years  before  the  invention 
of  printing,  one  of  the  oldest,  if  not  the  oldest, 
book  in  this  country.  It  was  obtained  at  the 
sale  of  the  library  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hawtrey,  Pro- 
vost of  Eton. 

The  Book  of  Job,  a  metrical  version,  by  George 
Sandys,  is  supposed  to  be  the  original  autograph 
copy  of  the  author.  It  was  formerly  in  the 
library  of  the  late  Duke  of  Sussex,  and  is  par- 
ticularly described  by  Dr.  Pettigrew,  in  the  Bibli- 

j 

otheca  Sussexiana. 

Next  in  order  to  the  manuscripts  is  the  BIBLIA 
PAUPERUM,  a  Block  Book,  or  series  of  Wood  Cuts, 
representing  scripture  subjects,  with  a  few  lines 
of  text  coarsely  engraved  upon  the  same  page. 
The  precise  -date  is  not  known,  but  bibliographers 
are  generally  agreed  in  the  opinion  that  it  was 
printed  as  early  as  the  year  1440. 
.  There  is  in  this  library  a  fragment  of  the  cele- 
brated MAZARIN  BIBLE,  the  first  look  ever  printed. 
Although  the  date  does  not  appear,  this  work  is 


64 

well  known  to  have  been  the  first  that  issued 
from  the  press  of  Guttenberg,  and  to  have  been 
completed  in  the  year  1455.  Mr.  L.  has  also  the 
New  Testament,  printed  by  Faust  in  1462,,  being 
the  first  in  which  the  date  is  given  ;  and  quite  a 
number  of  Bibles  published  within  the  first  half 
century  from  the  invention  of  printing.  Serve- 
tus's  Bible,  published  in  Lyons,  1542,  is  a  very 
rare  work.  The  entire  edition  was  ordered  to  be 
burnt,  by  the  Roman  Catholic  authorities,  on  ac- 
count of  the  supposed  heretical  sentiments  con- 
tained in  the  preface  and  in  some  of  the  notes. 
The  author,  in  1553,  shared  the  same  fate  with 
his  Bible.  He  was  burned  alive  for  heresy,  and 
as  many  of  the  Bibles  as  could  then  be  found 
were  used  to  kindle  the  wood  at  the  time  of  his 
martyrdom.  But  very  few  copies  escaped  the 
flames,  and  there  is  probably  no  other  in  this 
country. 

Cromwell's  Soldier's  Pocket  Bible,  of  which 
only  one  other  copy  is  known  to  be  extant,  is  a 
great  curiosity.  It  consists  of  selections  from  the 
Scriptures,  published  in  1643,  for  the  use  of  the 
army  during  the  civil  wars.  Here  are  copies  of 
both  editions  of  Eliot's  Indian  Bible — the  first  con- 
taining the  rare  dedications  to  King  Charles  II., 
of  which  only  twenty  copies  were  printed ;  and  a 


65 

perfect  copy  of  the  Commentary  of  Nicholas  de 
Lyra,  beautifully  printed  in  black  letter,  in  1483, 
being  the  first  work  of  the  kind  ever  published. 

Of  English  versions  Mr.  L.  has  all  the  editions 
of  Wyclif,  several  of  Coverdale,  Tyndale,  Cran- 
mer,  the  Genevan,  the  Bishops,  the  Douay  and 
the  most  remarkable  editions  of  our  present  au- 
thorized version,  from  the  first  Black  Letter  Folio 
of  1611,  to  the  recent  revision  of  the  American 
Bible  Society. 

A  splendid  unique  large  paper  copy  of  Reeve's 
Bible,  with  several  hundred  original  water-color 
illustrations,  by  Harris  of  London,  and  a  'New 
Testament  printed  entirely  in  letters  of  gold, 
were  added  to  the  collection  on  account  of  their 
beauty  as  works  of  art. 

A  special  interest  attaches  to  some  copies  of 
the  Scriptures  in  Mr.  Livermore's  library,  on  ac- 
count of  their  former  ownership.  The  Venice 
edition  of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  1478,  was  once 
the  property  of  the  unfortunate  Pope  Pius  VI., 
and  has  his  arms  stamped  upon  the  covers.  s  On 
the  same  shelf  stands  Melancthon's  own  copy  of 
the  Bible,  with  numerous  notes  on  the  margins 
in  the  hand  writing  of  the  Reformer.  A  copy  of 
the  Geneva  version,  presented  by  Admiral  Sir 
Isaac  Coffin  to  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Homer  of  New- 


66 

ton,  (from  whose  library  it  was  purchased,)  was 
supposed  by  its  former  owners  to  have  been  the 
identical  copy  presented  by  the  printer  to  Queen 
Elizabeth.  The  Royal  arms  can  still  be  traced 
on  the  covers.  It  was  printed  in  1576.  But  the 
Bible  of  Adam  Winthrop,  of  Groton,  England, 
the  father  of  the  first  Governor  of  Massachusetts, 
is  more  highly  prized  by  the  present  proprietor. 

A  manuscript  Koran,  brought  many  years  ago 
from  Turkey  by  Edward  Wortley  Montagu,  and 
the  Book  of  Mormon,  with  the  autograph  of 
Joseph  Smith,  possess  an  interest  of  a  different 
kind. 

Mr.  L.  has,  in  a  large  portfolio,  THE  LORD'S 
PRAYER  in  more  than  eight  hundred  languages 
and  dialects.  This  remarkable  work  was  printed 
at  the  Imperial  Office  in  Vienna,  and  exhibited 
as  the  contribution  of  the  Emperor  of  Austria  at 
the  World's  Fair  in  London.  Only  a  few  copies 
were  allowed  to  be  sold. 

It  may  be  mentioned  that  the  only  two  New 
England  subscribers  to  Halliwell's  magnificent 
edition  of  Shakspeare,  now  publishing  in  Eng- 
land, in  twenty  folio  volumes,  and  limited  to 
one  hundred  and  fifty  copies,  are  near  neigh- 
bors to  each  other — Mr.  Hosmer  and  Mr.  Liver- 
more. 


67 

Mr.  Livermore  has  from  his  boyhood  been 
much  interested  in  the  subject  of  general  Bibli- 
ography, and  he  has  collected  a  considerable 
number  of  the  best  works  on  this  subject,  includ- 
ing typographical  antiquities,  and  accounts  of  the 
most  celebrated  public  and  private  libraries.  In 
this  department  may  be  found  nearly  all  the 
publications  of  Dibdin,  several  of  them  presenta- 
tion copies  from  the  author ;  works  from  the 
presses  of  Guttenberg,  Faust,  Caxton,  Wynken, 
de  Worde,  Pynson,  Baskerville,  Stephen  Daye 
the  first  American  printer,  Dr.  Franklin,  and 
nearly  all  the  most  famous  printers  in  Europe 
and  America.  Also  privately  printed  books  from 
Strawberry  Hill,  Lee  Priory,  the  Roxburghe  and 
other  clubs.  We  might  mention  many  other  cu- 
rious and  rare  volumes.  The  larger  part  of  this 
library  consists  of  standard  works  of  English 
literature,  history,  biography,  poetry,  etc.  etc. — 
the  best  editions  of  the  best  authors. 

Another  library,  in  the  same  city,  is  that  of 
Mr.  Charles  Deane.*  This  collection  would  be 
prized,  not  so  much  for  its  size,  as  for  the  rare 

*Mr.  Barry,  in  his  recent  history  of  Massachusetts,  Vol.  I.  p.  106,  in  a  foot-note, 
pay*  the  following  deserved  compliment  to  Mr.  D.  and  his  library  :  "  The  valuable 
notes  accompanying  this  document,  (the  first  Plymouth  patent,  published  by  the 
Massachusetts  Historical  Society,)  are  from  the  pen  of  Charles  Deane,  Esq.,  a  gen- 
tleman than  whom  few  are  more  conversant  with  the  early  history  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  whose  well-stored  library  is  a  treasure  of  rare  works  on  American 
history." 


68 

and  valuable  works  which  it  contains.  In  sev- 
eral particulars  it  corresponds  to  that  of  Mr. 
Crowninshield,  already  briefly  noticed.  It  com- 
prises a  fair  proportion  of  English  literature,  em- 
bracing history,  biography  and  bibliography. 
There  are  many  early  and  first  editions,  among 
which  may  be  enumerated  the  first  edition,  in 
English,  of  Sir  Thomas  More's  Utopia,  1551,  of 
which  Dibdin,  in  1808,  remarks :  "  There  is  no 
copy  of  this  curious  and  rare  performance  in  the 
Bodleian  Library,  nor  in  the  British  Museum." 
Also,  Fryth's  Reply  to  More,  on  the  Sacrament, 
containing  u  The  Artycles  wherefore  Johan  Fryth 
dyed;"  published  in  1546.  The  first  edition  of 
Butler's  Hudibras,  in  their  several  parts,  may 
also  be  mentioned,  as  also  of  Milton's  Paradise 
Lost,  and  Paradise  Regained. 

Mr.  Deane's  taste  and  reading,  led  him,  at  one 
time,  to  make  a  collection  of  books  relating  to 
the  subject  of  philosophical  necessity  or  the  free- 
dom of  the  will ;  embracing  writers  from  Hobbs, 
Cudworth,  Collins  and  others,  down  to  authors  of 
our  own  time. 

The  speciality,  however,  of  this  collection,  is 
American  history,  and  more  particularly  works 
relating  to  New  England  history.  Among  the 
earliest  books  on  America  we  will  mention  Peter 


69 


Martyr's  "  De  Orbe  novo,"  three  Decades,  pub- 
lished at  Alcala  in  1516.  (The  first  complete 
edition,  in  eigU  Decades,  was  printed  in  1530.) 
Martyr  is  one  of  the  earliest  historians  that  treat 
of  Columbus,  and  was  his  cotemporary  and  inti- 
mate acquaintance.  Probably  the  earliest  book 
in  English  relating  to  America,  was  prepared  by 
Bichard  Eden,  and  published  in  1555.  It  con- 
sists of  translations  of  four  of  Martyr's  Decades, 
followed  by  translations  from  Oviedo  and  others. 
A  fine  copy  of  this  work  is  in  this  collection. 
Also,  a  copy  of  the  first  edition  of  Hakluyt's 
Collection  of  Voyages,  1589,  which  once  belong- 
ed to  Thomas  Cavendish,  the  celebrated  English 
navigator,  and  bears  his  autograph. 

Among  the  works  in  this  department  which 
were  issued  in  the  seventeenth  century,  we  will 
briefly  mention  the  Commission  of  "  Sieur  de 
Monts,"  published  in  1605 ;  the  works  of  the 
celebrated  John  Smith,  from  his  Description  of 
New  England,  1616,  to  his  True  Travels,  1630, 
containing  his  rare  maps ;  Whitbourn's  New- 
foundland 1620,  and  1622;  Mourt's  Relation, 
1622  ;  Winslow's  Good  News  from  New  England, 
1624  ;  Vaughan's  Golden  Fleece,  1626,  with  Capt. 
John  Mason's  Map  of  Newfoundland ;  Drake's 
World  Encompassed,  1628 ;  Wood's  New  England 


70 

Prospect,  1634  ;  Thomas  Morton's  New  English 
Canaan,  1637 ;  Lechford's  Plain  Dealing,  1642 ; 
Eliot's  Christian  Commonwealth,  no  date;  (Mr. 
Aspinwall's  copy  of  this  book  was  for  a  long  time 
considered  unique.)  Johnson's  Wonder  Working 
Providence,  1654  ;  Gorges'  America  Painted  to 
the  Life,  1659 ;  Winslow's  corrected  edition  of 
the  Cambridge  Platform,  1653  ;  The  Buccanneers 
of  America,  1684  and  1685;  Josselyn's  New  Eng- 
land Rarities,  1672,  and  his  Account  of  two  Voy- 
ages to  New  England,  1673 ;  Massachusetts,  or 
the  First  Planters  of  New  England,  1696. 

This  collection  also  embraces  nearly  twenty  of 
the  original  tracts  of  John  Cotton ;  the  earliest  be- 
ing a  Sermon  preached  by  him  at  Southampton, 
on  the  occasion  of  the  sailing  of  Winthrop's  fleet  for 
New  England,  in  1630,  entitled  God's  Promise  to 
his  Plantation.  His  books  containing  his  contro- 
versy with  Roger  Williams,  and  with  Robert 
Baillie,  are  among  the  number.  Mr.  Deane  has 
nearly  all  the  tracts  relating  to  the  progress  of 
the  gospel  among  the  Indians  here,  published  for 
the  benefit  of  friends  to  the  cause  in  England ; 
also,  many  of  the  books  written  by  the  Mathers, 
Richard,  Increase,  and  Cotton  ;  also  many  of  the 
original  works  of  John  Robinson,  the  pastor  of 
the  Pilgrim  Church  at  Leyden ;  and  all  the  edi- 


71 

tions  of  Morton's  Memorial.  Many  tracts  relat- 
ing to  the  controversy  here  with  the  Quakers 
may  also  be  noticed. 

Of  the  more  modern  publications,  in  this 
library,  in  the  department  of  New  England  His- 
tory, we  will  merely  allude  to  the  collections  of 
all  the  Historical  Societies,  and  nearly  every  town 
History  which  has  been  written. 

The  four  last  mentioned  libraries  are  situated 
on,  or  near  Dana  Hill,  in  Cambridge,  and  three 
of  them  are  very  near  each  other  on  Main  Street. 
Together  they  must  number  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  thousand  volumes,  and  it  is  safe  to  say, 
that  they  are  worth  more  than  one  hundred 
thousand  books,  so  called,  that  are  not  unfre- 
quently  found  in  both  public  and  private  collec- 
tions. And  best  of  all,  the  proprietors,  though 
active  business  men,  and  three  of  them  mer- 
chants of  Boston,  have  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  their  books,  and  each  is  truly  a  scholar  in  his 
chosen  field  of  human  learning. 

We  have  thus  taken  a  very  cursory  view  of 
the  private  libraries  of  one  little  section  of  our 
country.*  Justice  has  not  been  done  to  a  single 
collection  mentioned,  and  if  all  had  been  fully 


*  No  doubt  several  important  libraries  even  in  this  section  have  been  uninten- 
tionally overlooked. 


unfolded  to  the  public  gaze,  a  volume,  or  rather 
volumes  would  have  been  written.  If  the  intel- 
lectual riches  of  these  libraries  have  been  tolera- 
bly indicated; — if  scholars  may  ascertain  from 
the  above  descriptions  where  they  may  probably 
find  a  rare  or  valuable  book,  that  they  neither 
own  nor  can  find  in  any  public  library  or  book- 
store ; — if  through  this  paper,  which  is  believed 
to  be  the  first  extended  one  that  has  ever  ap- 
peared in  this  country  on  this  subject,  similar  ac- 
counts shall  be  drawn  out,  touching  the  richer 
private  stores*  of  books  in  other  and  more  favor- 


t  What  is  in  store  for  the  lover  of  bibliography  and  for  the  general  reader,  from 
other  sections  of  the  United  States,  may  be  imagined  from  the  following  paragraphs, 
which  we  clipped  from  a  New  York  paper  several  years  since  : 

"  It  is  surprising  how  many  very  large  and  excellently  selected  private  libraries 
have  been  collected  in  this  country.  In  most  parts  of  Europe  public  libraries  are  so 
common  and  so  accessible  that  there  is  comparatively  liille  need  of  private  collec- 
tions, except  upon  specialities  ;  but  here,  for  the  most  part,  public  libraries  are  few 
and  meagre,  and  of  so  miscellaneous  a  character  as  to  be  of  little  value  for  special 
uses.  Among  the  largest  private  libraries  with  which  we  arc  acquainted  is  that  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Smyth,  in  Charleston,  S.C  ,  containing  about  »eventeen  thousand,  very  rich 
in  theology  ;  Hon.  Mitchell  King's,  in  the  game  city,  nearly  as  large,  and  abounding 
in  the  choicest  classical  productions,  in  best  editions,  as  well  as  in  books  of  art ; 
Mr.  Barton's,  in  Philadelphia,  say  of  ten  thousand,  containing  the  best  collection  of 
Shakspeare's  editions,  commentaries,  illustrations,  etc.,  to  be  found  in  the  world  ; 
Dr.  Rednon  Coxe's,  in  the  same  city,  about  twenty  thousand ;  K.  D.  Ingraham's, 
ditto,  of  thirteen  thousand,  altogether  the  most  curious  in  historical,  biographical 
and  juridical  literature  to  be  found  in  this  country. 

"  In  this  city  the  number  of  good  libraries  is  very  large.  Dr.  Moore's,  we  be- 
lieve, has  more  than  twelve  thousand  volumes ;  that  of  Edwin  Forrest  (collected 
chiefly  by  the  late  William  Leggett)  is  nearly  as  large,  and  is  very  rich  in  the  best 
English  literature.  The  library  of  Mr.  Lenox  is  large  and  of  extraordinary  value, 
having  cost,  probably,  more  than  any  other  private  library  in  the  country.  Mr.  Ban- 
croft ha*  the  beat  historical  library  in  the  city,  and  the  best  collection  of  manuscripts 
illustrative  of  American  history  in  the  possession  of  any  individual  in  the  world. — 
Very  extensive  and  valuable  libraries  are  also  owned  by  Dr.  J.  W.  Francis,  and 
Rev.  Drs.  Hawkes,  W.  R.  William*,  Bethune  and  Griswold,  the  last  having  con- 
tained, before  the  destruction  of  a  portion  of  it  recently  t>y*fire,  more  than  thirteen 
thousand  books,  chiefly  American." 


73 


ed  portions  of  the  land; — if  information  at  all  in- 
structive, curious,  or  entertaining  has  been  com- 
municated to  the  reader ; — if  any  shall  be  led  to 
place  a  higher  estimate  upon  the  untold  bles- 
sings that  flow  to  the  owner  of  a  good  library,  as 
well  as  to  his  family,  neighborhood,  friends  and 
acquaintances,  the  special  objects  of  this  essay 
will  have  been  secured. 

Is  tljere  any  mere  earthly  comfort,  after  fam- 
ily and  friends,  like  that  to  be  derived  from  a 
rich  private  library?  The  man  who  possesses 
that  has  ever  with  him  a  perpetual  fountain 
springing  up,  (not  half  a  taile  distant,  which 
he  must  share  with  hundreds  or  thousands,) 
but  in  his  own  house,  to  purify  his  soul  and  to 
illumine  his  understanding.  The  great  lawyer, 
then,  who  said,  that  "  he  should  have  died  long 
ago  had  it  not  been  for  his  library,"  uttered  no 
extravagance.  Such  expressions  call  up  the 
lines  of  an  English  poet : 

"  What  strange  art,  what  magic  can  dispose 
The  troubled  mind  to  change  its  native  woes  ? 
Or  lead  us  willing  from  ourselves  to  see 
Others  more  wretched,  more  undone  than  we  ? 


In  this  connection,  the  library  of  the  late  Dr.  Wainwright,  of  the  same  city,  may 
be  mentioned,  that  contained  ten  thousand  volumes  ;  and  also  the  large  libraries  of 
Mr.  Peter  Force,  of  Washington,  and  of  Mr.  Brown,  of  Providence.  The  late  Mr. 
Bowditch,  the  mathematician,  had  a  rare  library,  which,  by  the  generosity  of  the 
family,  is  open  to  the  public.  The  library  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Jarvis  was  noted  in 
its  day. 

8 


This,  books  can  do  ;— nor  this  alone  ;  they  give 

New  views  to  life,  and  teach  us  how  to  live. 

Come,  Child  of  Care  !  to  make  thy  soul  serene, 

Approach  the  treasures  of  this  tranquil  scene  ; 

Survey  the  dome,  and,  as  the  doors  unfold, 

The  soul's  best  cure,  in  all  her  cares,  behold  ! 

Where  mental  wealth  the  poor  in  thought  may  find, 

And  mental  physic  the  diseased  in  mind  ; 

See  here  the  balms  that  passion's  wounds  assuage  ; 

See  coolers  here,  that  damp  the  fire  of  rage  ; 

Here  alt'ratives,  by  slow  degrees  control 

The  chronic  habits  of  the  sickly  soul  ; 

And  round  the  heart  and  o'er  the  aching  head, 

Mild  opiates  here  their  sober  influence  shed." 

No  man  in  this  age  should  think  of  building 
him  a  house  without  including  a  library.  Better 
omit  the  drawing-room,  and  almost  the  dining- 
room  than  this,  for  what  society  can  one  be 
called  to  entertain*  like  the  nobility  of  all  ages 
whose  names  are  inscribed  upon  books  ?  And 
might  we  not  as  well  be  without  a  fitting  room 
to  partake  of  the  food  that  perisheth,  as  to  have 
no  suitable  place  in  which  to  partake  of  that  on 
which  angels  and  the  Supreme  feed  alike  with 
man  ?  Men  speak  of  a  house  as  furnished  if 
there  be  a  beautiful  and  bountiful  supply  of  up- 
holstery. But  it  is  no  such  thing,  if  these  are 
all.  The  most  ornamental — the  most  appropriate 
furniture  for  the  old  and  the  young  and  for 
little  children  at  home, — the  food  for  the  mind 
and  heart, — good  books  are  wanting.  The  late 
Rev.  Dr.  Greenwood  confirmed  this  view,  in  these 
words: 


75 

"  A  house  is  never  properly  furnished  unless 
it  contains  one  well  filled  book-case,  at  least, 
and  if  it  is  a  house  of  any  pretensions,  it  ought 
to  have  its  library,  and  that  not  merely  a  nom- 
inal library ;  since  for  a  sum  formerly  paid  for 
the  Bible  or  Cicero,  a  man  may  line  the  side  of 
a  room  with  the  best  works  in  all  languages." 

Many  might  include  works  of  Art  in  the 
proper  f  furnishing  of  a  house.  In  the  highest 
sense  of  the  language,  they  should  be  included. 
But  books  are  more  a  necessity.  If  one  has  not 
the  elementary  school  books,  at  least,  he  cannot 
be  qualified  for  any  business  by  which  he  may 
hope  to  gain  a  livelihood.  Besides,  if  we  are  to 
choose  between  having  the  works  of  Homer, 
Milton,  or  Washington,  and  having  their  por- 
traits, should  we  not  select  their  works?  We 
can  hardly  love  a  picture.  We  can  admire  it  as 
a  work  of  genius,  or  as  an  image  of  one  we  love. 
But  we  may  love  good  books,  for  they  literally 
contain —  -^ 

"  Thoughts  that  breathe,  nnd  words  that  burn." 

They  give  us,  as  it  were,  the  very  minds  and 
souls  of  their  illustrious  authors.  The  very  best 
that  belonged  to  the  characters  of  authors  re- 
main with  us  in  their  works,  a  perpetual  occa- 
sion of  our  admiration  and  our  love. 


76 

The  delicacy  of  treating  of  the  above  list  of 
private  libraries  is  removed,  when  their  relations 
to  public  libraries,  and  to  scholars  and  readers 
generally,  are  considered.  Several  of  these  libra- 
ries would  have  been  much  larger  and  richer, 
had  not  their  generous  owners  loved  themselves 
less,  and  the  public  good  more.  The  truth  is, 
some  of  our  valuable  public  libraries  have  had 
their  beginning  and  a  very  considerable  propor- 
tion of  their  growth  from  the  material  given 
from  private.*  And  then,  for  many  practical 
purposes,  most  of  the  libraries  called  private  are 
public.  Their  doors  are  freely  thrown  open  to 
all  good  and  true  scholars,  and  they  never  honor 
their  proprietors  more  than  when  using  their 
books.  And,  in  most  cases,  a  worthy  scholar,  or 
reader,  would  find  no  difficulty  in  securing  the 
loan  of  a  book  to  take  to  his  own  rooms.  Thus 
these  rich  private  fountains  of  knowledge  are 
owned  substantially  for  the  good  of  all.  This  is 
the  true  object  o/  a  library  to  be  useful  to  as 
many  as  will  use  it.  Perhaps  there  is  no  small 
act  of  kindness  that  a  man  can  do  for  his  fellow 
that  may  bless  him  so  much,  and  so  long,  as  the 

•  It  ho*  been  stated  in  the  journals  of  the  day,  that  the  library  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr. 
Sharp,  of  Boston,  consisting  of  seventeen  hundred  volumes,  has  been  purchased  by 
a  few  thoughtful  persons,  and  presented  to  the  library  of  the  Newton  Theological 
Seminary. 


77 

loaning  him  a  good  book.  How  many  suffer  for 
the  lack  of  books,  and  grow  up  with  no  taste  for 
reading,  for  the  simple  reason  that  they  neither 
owned,  nor  could  borrow  books  in  then:  youth. 
What  an  influence  for  good  would  flow  from  col- 
lections of  only  one  thousand  volumes  each, 
owned  by  single  persons  in  every  little  neighborhood 
in  the  land,  if  freely  loaned  to  all  who  would 
make  a  good  use  of  them.  Private  libraries, 
open  to  all,  have  these  peculiar  advantages,  that 
no  extra  expense  is  required  for  a  library  build- 
ing, or  for  the  librarian.  In  a  particular  manner 
a  hotel  cannot  be  said  to  be  furnished,  we  had 
almost  said,  in  the  moderate  sense,  that  has  not 
a  good  collection  of  books.  How  many  a  book- 
loving  traveller  or  boarder  has  pined  in  one  of 
these  houses  of  entertainment,  finding  it  sadly 
wanting  in  the  best  of  entertainment,  making 
him  feel  that  he  is  a  sojourner  in  a  literary 
Sahara. 

There  is  an  intimate  connection  between  suc- 
cess in  the  learned  professions,  in  authorship  and 
in  numerous  callings,  and  the  books  a  man  can 
call  his  own.  Who  ever  heard  of  a  great  lawyer, 
physician,  preacher,  scholar,  or  author,  whose 
study  did  not  show  the  well-thumbed  books, — 
whose  daily  intellectual  company  at  home  were 


78 

not  the  great  thinkers  and  writers  of  all  ages  ? 
The  very  sight  of  a  book,  like  a  man's  face, 
sharpens  the  intellect  of  him  who  glances  at  it. 
Books  are  not  so  much  to  be  valued  for  the 
thoughts  they  give,  as  for  those  they  suggest, 
and  for  the  general  quickening  they  give  to  all 
our  mental  powers.  For  those  who  think  and 
write  for  the  public,  books  are  indispensable.  If 
a  young  minister  is  to  be  settled  over  a  people, 
to  feed  them  "  with  knowledge  and  understand- 
ing," one  would  suppose,  that  while  his  examin- 
ers would  not  fail  to  test  his  soundness  upon  the 
"five  points,"  or  other  of  theology,  and  to  in- 
quire if  he  had  been  thoroughly  educated  at  the 
universities,  they  would  also  ask  him  if  he  had  a 
good  library.  For  a  parish  to  let  their  pastor  go 
without  a  sufficient  supply  of  good  books,  is  to 
starve  his  mind,  and  through  his,  their  own.  So 
we  may  reason  with  regard  to  our  physician,  and 
our  lawyer,  and  our  author,  and  the  teacher  of 
our  children.  They  cannot  give  us  and  ours 
what  they  have  not  themselves  received,  and 
books  are  their  great  sources  of  information. 
How  appropriate  that  inscription  now  to  be  read 
over  the  door  of  a  library  of  book-loving  Eng- 
land :  "  Non  minima  pars  est  eruditionis  bonos 
nosse  libros." 


79 


A  man  may  walk  through  his  own  library 
with  something  of  the  awe  he  has  in  a  city  of 
the  dead.  He  treads  the  silent  walks  of  those 
who  are  absent,  but  not  lost.  He  sees  the  tombs 
of  such  as  cannot  die. 


"  Crown'd  with  eternal  fame,  they  sit  sublime, 

And  laugh  at  all  the  little  strife  of  time. 

Lo!  all  in  silence,  all  in  order  stand, 

And  mighty  folios  first,  a  lordly  band  ; 

Then  quartos  their  well  order'd  ranks  maintain, 

And  light  octavos  fill  a  spacious  plain : 

See  yonder,  ranged  in  more  frequented  rows, 

A  humble  band  of  duodecimos  ; 

While  undistinguish'd  trifles  swell  the  scene, 

The  last  new  play  and  fritter'd  magazine. 

Hail,  then,  immortals  !    Ye  who  shine  above, 

Each  in  his  sphere,  the  literary  Jove  ; 

And  ye  the  common  people  of  these  skies, 

A  humbler  cloud  of  nameless  deities  ; 

Whether  'tis  yours  to  lead  the  willing  mind 

Through  history's  mazes,  and  the  turnings  find ; 

Or  whether  led  by  science,  ye  retire, 

Lost  and  bewilder'd  in  the  vast  desire  ; 

Whether  the  Muse  invites  you  to  her  bowers, 

And  crowns  your  placid  brows  with  living  flowers  ; 

Or  godlike  wisdom  teaches  you  to  show 

The  noblest  road  to  happiness  below  ; 

Or  men  and  manners  prompt  the  easy  page 

To  mark  the  flying  follies  of  the  age : 

Whatever  good  ye  boast,  that  good  impart ; 

Inform  the  head  and  rectify  the  heart." 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


DEC  2  0  Z004 
DUE  2  WKSFpOM  DATE  RECEIVED 

i^" 


JAM  ?  U085' 


m-iu. 


A     000  899  626     6 


